For quite some time now, reports have been circulating in the media about communication between Israel and Hamas toward "hudna" — a long-term truce between the parties. In an Al-Monitor article June 30, Uri Savir reported that a source in the prime minister's office confirmed to him that there had been an exchange of messages between Israel and Hamas; however, as the source noted, the parties are still too far apart.

The messages, the deliberate leaks and, above all, the hopes of Gaza residents for a change and an improvement in their own situation and in the overall state of the Gaza Strip have triggered a wave of rumors that a historic agreement between Israel and Hamas is not only possible, but also closer than ever. And anyone looking for confirmation and corroboration could find them in the statements made July 4 by former Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh.

"This authority [Israel] has decided against launching another war,” Haniyeh said, explaining that the message had been conveyed by a third party whose identity he chose not to disclose. The statements he went on to make in the sermon he delivered at al-Shuhada Mosque in Nuseirat refugee camp have actually reinforced the rumors. They were perceived by his listeners as a first public acknowledgment designed to lay the groundwork for an imminent agreement with Israel.

“Last Ramadan [during Operation Protective Edge] planted the seeds that are blooming during Ramadan today. Liberation is close. The next step will bring plenty to the families of Gaza,” Haniyeh promised.