Not sure how hostages and deaths are speculative evidence.

So let me address the deaths first. You can use those (the ones that can conclusively proven to be intentionally inflicted by Hamas forces, because it’s not all of them) to try foot soldiers and field commanders, people who were actually there. Not the guy at the very top who doesn’t even live in Gaza.

About the hostages, they’re the only way for Hamas to get even some of their demands. Which sounds bad until you realize those demands are things like lifting/loosening the blockade, toning down the surveillance (the surveilance Israel does in Gaza would make East Germany blush), not airstrike Gaza every five minutes, etc etc. It’s not pretty, but the hostages are very much a case of blame the game, not the player. Now if the ICC decides to prosecute for those I guess they can be traced back to Sinwar.

So the military goals are:

1-Actually attacking Israeli forces. Hamas attacked at least one (I don’t know the number) Israeli military base on October 7th.

2-Taking hostages yo Gaza can actually survive after the attack (and so they can hopefully get Israel to starve them less).

3-Delay Saudi Arabian naturalization. Or, in other words, prevent Saudi Arabia from selling out the Palestinian cause like everyone else did.