I agree that this action itself will not directly lead to the liberation of Palestine, but it is a part of the broader axis of resistance strategy to do so. Hamas is not disarming nor dissolving as an organization of resistance, and will under no circumstances allow the US to have its way with Gaza (nor will Hezbollah, Ansar Allah, or Iran).

It seems to me that the Hamas/the broader axis of resistance has determined it not to be the time to resume hot war with Israel on all fronts, so this is a way to bide time. Israel is facing a sharpening of contradictions within their own society, between widespread anger towards orthodox jews who do not serve in the IOF, and dissatisfaction with Netanyahu for not sufficiently destroying Iran/Hezbollah. I can see how it would be strategically wise to wait for Israeli society to reach a point of further disarray to resume larger scale resistance operations with armed Palestinian resistance groups involved.

What would you want Hamas to do otherwise?

I’ve seen many people online act like this is a defeat and spreading lies of Hamas of being funded and created by Israel. It has been made clear that all of Hamas’s actions are coordinated with the axis of resistance. They didn’t make such massive sacrifices just to roll over and let Israel erase their existence now. Every step is calculated to reach a liberated Palestine.