The preparations for the presidential elections in Egypt do not seem to be merely an internal Egyptian matter. The Palestinians are also closely following them, and Hamas in particular, knowing full well that the election’s results will affect the relationship between Egypt and Hamas.
Al-Monitor has learned that a general atmosphere has prevailed within Hamas in recent weeks indicating that the relationship with Egypt will gradually improve as the presidential elections on May 26-27 approach. The favored candidate, former army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, wants to appear to have re-established communications with the "Palestinian brothers" and to have turned the page on the tensions that marred relations between the two sides since President Mohammed Morsi was ousted on July 3, 2013.
Perhaps the first sign that the Egypt-Hamas relationship has started improving, in preparation for Sisi’s rise, is that Egypt allowed Cairo-based Hamas deputy commander Mousa Abu Marzouk to go to Gaza for him to complete the reconciliation with Fatah.
Maher Abu Sabha, the director of border crossings in the Interior Ministry of the Hamas government in Gaza, asserted that for several days Egypt has been keeping the Rafah crossing open. Egypt has closed the crossing for 91 days since the start of 2014.
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