Hamas tries to make nice with Egypt to focus on intifada
The Egyptian army in Sinai continues its operations against Hamas members, but the movement says it has no interest in clashing with Egypt and has turned its attention to the budding intifada in the West Bank.
Many people have been killed and more wounded in recent months during attacks between the Egyptian military and armed groups along the Sinai-Gaza border, despite Egyptian forces’ security measures. Egypt has accused armed groups in Gaza in the attacks, according to security sources who spoke on condition of anonymity this month.
Although Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ armed wing, has long denied such accusations, Gaza-Egypt relations have gone downhill as the military has maintained operations along the border since February.
On Sept. 11 in Gaza, the Egyptian military killed more than 98 militants affiliated with armed groups, while Wilayat Sinai (Sinai Province), a group affiliated with the Islamic State (IS), took responsibility for killing two Egyptian soldiers and wounding others Oct. 4 in Arish. The Egyptian military arrested three Palestinians Oct. 15 after setting up an ambush in one of the tunnels on Gaza’s borders.
But Hamas spokesman Husam Badran recently told Al-Monitor it is concentrating on Israel, not Egypt. “The resistance, spearheaded by Hamas, in Gaza knows its goal well. Its military force has one target — Israel — and Hamas’ foreign relations with Egypt aim at protecting the Palestinians’ interests and alleviating their constant suffering.”
