The Palestinian Authority (PA) says Hamas rocket attacks on Israel are interfering with PA efforts to gain international condemnation of Israel for its actions against the Gaza Strip. But Hamas says the PA has no one to blame but itself for its failures.

In fact, it appeared Hamas and Israel made some progress with each other via an Egypt-brokered truce March 31, despite the flurry of rocket exchanges that immediately preceded the fragile calm. Israel agreed to open two border crossings it had closed recently, and to expand the area in which Palestinians can fish off the coast.

Before this, however, Hamas found itself the target of heavy criticism from many directions, for its rocket attacks on Israel and especially for its violence in mid-March against Palestinians who were protesting the dire living conditions in the Gaza Strip. 

On March 10, Fatah’s Central Committee member Jamal Mheisen accused Hamas on Felestin TV of “never [being] willing to return to the Palestinian national ranks," and said "Palestinian and Arab efforts to encircle Hamas are required.”