The Limits of Restraint: Hamas in Gaza and a Confrontation with Israel

The severe economic crisis and deplorable conditions in the Gaza Strip, which worsened over the past year with the significant reduction in the supply of electricity, have spurred Hamas’s leadership to turn to several regional states for help, particularly Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey. Hamas’s reliance on diplomatic contact with these states coincides with a lengthy period of military restraint, whereby the organization does not fire at Israel and imposes a state of security calm on the organizations that heed its authority. It seems that Hamas has determined that at present, a military conflict does not serve its interests, and on the contrary, would only worsen the living conditions of the Gaza population. Therefore, Hamas leaders prefer to seek diplomatic channels to resolve civilian problems. This regional diplomacy benefits Israel as well, because it is an alternative to an expanded military escalation in the Gaza sector.

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