(Al-Monitor) Adnan Abu Amer - Over six weeks have passed since Israel last bombed Hamas positions in response to rocket fire from Gaza. Khalil Shaheen, director of research at the Palestinian Center for Policy Research and Strategic Studies - Masarat, said the "calm factors...mainly revolve around Hamas' desire to implement understandings with Israel by distributing Qatari funds to the poor, establishing a field hospital in northern Gaza, introducing Egyptian goods into Gaza, and reducing participation in the marches of return." The Hamas leadership has been preoccupied with internal Palestinian issues, and believes maintaining calm in Gaza is an urgent priority, in preparation for a solution to the economic crisis that will not be resolved if a military escalation with Israel breaks out. Hussam al-Dujni, political science professor at Umma University in Gaza, said, "Hamas' allies in the region are preoccupied...Iran with Saudi Arabia, Turkey with the Kurds, and Qatar with the Gulf...which makes Hamas focus on calming its front, waiting for the regional situation to stabilize." The writer heads the Political Science and Media Department of Umma University in Gaza.
2019-10-31 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive