Did you by any chance see the pictures of the agents in flak jackets climbing
up on the roof and breaking windows.  You call that peaceful?  If you
believed, as these people did, that they would be attacked by evil forces
from the outside, found the scores of agents breaking into your compound
what would you do?  Your beliefs always determine your actions.  The
beliefs may be wrong from my point of view but they are yours all the same.

To make it more practical.  If I attempted to stick you with a needle you
would try to stop me because you believe it would hurt, or that I do not
have that right.  If you did not you would ignore me.  You certainly would
it you saw me sticking the needle in a tree.

Koresh may have been misguided, only God knows.  But the Jews at Masada
died for what they believed, the three Hebrews preferred to die in the
furnace rather than bow down, Daniel preferred to die in a lion's den
rather than stop praying to his God, and as a Christian I am prepared to
die for my faith.

Koresh was not dying for now reason.  He had a cause.  Why should he give
up the children to forces he was convinced were evil.  The events are
bizarre but they match his beliefs.