[Simplemen]

Many countries are apparently saying that the deaths of Palestinian civilians are painful and must stop.

It's very easy for this to stop. Hamas just come out from their tunnels and surrender lor. 

But Nooooo! HAMAS would rather see the peepur dying from hunger or the accidental bullet than surrender. HAMAS is very evil to use the Palestinians as shields just to save their own skin.

Thats too simplistic. 

Its actually very hard for Israel to stop the slaughtering of Palestinian civilians now, without looking like it has lost the war. 

This is because in the immediate aftermath of 7 Oct, Israeli politicians (Netanyahu, Ben Gvir, Gallant, Gantz et al) whipped up war frenzy among Israelis for REVENGE so as to deflect blame for the failure to ensure Israelis' security. By openly announcing to eliminate Hamas & free all hostages, they have backed themselves into a tight corner. 

And because Israelis demand at least 10 Palestinian lives for every 1 Israeli life, as more Israeli troops die in Gaza at the hands of Palestinian Resistance fighters, that has snowballed into an unstoppable cycle of IDF deaths begetting much more Palestinian civilian deaths. 

The situation has now worsen into an uncontrollable train wreck for Israel both diplomatically & militarilly as it becomes isolated globally (even among the Jewish diaspora,which is unprecedented) & losing a lot more men on the battlefield than it can admit. 

Hamas has given them a way out by offering negotiations to trade hostages for permanent ceasefire. This means Israel win some & lose some, ie, they get back hostages while Hamas lives on to fight another day. Overall, Israel wins 50%, Hamas wins 100% by denying Israeli full victory. 

Now why is this hard to do? The Israeli War Cabinet is a concoction of politicians across the political spectrum, each having their own agenda,  constituents & is now looking at their political survival  - what will happen to them after the war. Well, after the war, Israelis will demand an inquiry. Heads will roll. 

So, before they can accept to negotiate with Hamas & sell the idea to Israelis that they have failed to eliminate Hamas, first, they must resolve their internal differences - which is extremely hard given that each of them is interested in saving their own skin.