Optimistic assessments by senior Hamas leaders that their arrangement with Israel would soon go into effect were dashed last week. An agreement to ease the siege on the Gaza Strip now seems even farther away than before.

On the eve of Eid al-Adha, Aug. 21, Hamas political bureau leader Ismail Haniyeh had promised Gazans that the siege would soon be lifted. He congratulated them on standing firm against the siege, saying that strength had led them to victory.

Now, other voices are being heard. Hamas leaders are preparing the Palestinian public for news of the arrangement's failure, pointing fingers of blame. As far as Hamas is concerned, the person who bears the brunt of responsibility is Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is adamantly refusing to even approach the sickbed that is the Gaza Strip.

The movement’s leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, said Sept. 4, “As of now, there is no agreement or even the outline of an agreement with Israel.” He criticized the UN emissary to the Middle East, Nikolay Mladenov, who was very active in discussions between the parties but hasn’t been to the Gaza Strip in the past three weeks.