GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — The efforts of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) to restore the relations between Egypt and Hamas have seemingly yielded positive results. These have been exemplified by the opening of the Rafah border crossing on March 8-9, the first time since its closure on Jan. 22. Also, Egypt’s State Lawsuits Authority filed on March 11 an appeal with Cairo’s Court for Urgent Matters to review the latter’s designation of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades and the Hamas movement as terrorist organizations.

A source from the PIJ office in the Gaza Strip told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that the initiative focused on the opening of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, provided that the Presidential Guard of President Mahmoud Abbas runs and guards the crossing in the coming period. The source said the initiative also focused on the resumption of Egyptian efforts sponsoring Palestinian reconciliation and the defusing of tension between the Hamas movement and Egypt.

Daoud Shihab, the head of the PIJ Information Office, told the pro-Islamic Jihad Al-Istiqlal newspaper, “The PIJ efforts will not stop at this point, and there will be more to serve the Palestinian people.”

A senior PIJ delegation headed by its Secretary-General Ramadan Shallah had concluded a visit to Cairo on March 7 that lasted several days. The move came after the crisis escalated in Gaza as a result of the 51-day war waged by Israel last summer. It also came amid deteriorating relations between Egypt and Hamas due to the overthrow of Muslim Brotherhood President Mohammed Morsi in July 2013. Hamas has been treated as an enemy of the Egyptian regime, given that it is the arm of the Muslim Brotherhood in Palestine.