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Egypt and Hamas Try to Resolve Differences

Relations between Hamas and Egypt are far from perfect, writes Omar Shaban.
A truck loaded with building materials drives at the Rafah crossing with Egypt, in the southern Gaza Strip December 30, 2012. Islamist-led Egypt allowed building materials into Gaza via the Rafah crossing on Saturday for the first time since Hamas seized control of the Palestinian enclave in 2007, an Egyptian border official said. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa (GAZA - Tags: POLITICS CONSTRUCTION) - RTR3BZDB
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Egypt’s relations with Hamas are tense. Some Egyptian and Arab papers have accused Hamas members of participating in the Sinai terrorist attack on the Egyptian soldiers in Rafah on Aug. 5, 2012, in which 16 Egyptian soldiers were killed. Hamas completely denied its involvement in that attack. Also, there was news that a large shipment of military clothing similar to those used by the Egyptian military tried to enter Gaza. Some Egyptian analysts interpreted that to mean that Hamas may be trying to infiltrate the Egyptian army.

So Egypt’s relations with Hamas are determined by:

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