GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — In an interview with Al-Monitor, Ahmed Yousef, former political adviser to deputy chairman of Hamas’ political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, said that Hamas is making unremitting efforts to spare the Gaza Strip a new war with Israel. He denied the existence of a direct dialogue with Israel, pointing out that Western envoys are in contact with Hamas.

Yousef, 65, every now and then gives bold opinions on the negotiations with Israel, the future of a potential reconciliation with Fatah and international relations, to market Hamas positions regionally and internationally. He heads the House of Wisdom Institution for Conflict Resolution and Governance in Gaza, and he hosts meetings with Western delegates who come to Gaza from time to time. Yousef is considered “Hamas’ gate” to the West in light of his extensive relations, having lived many years in the United States. He studied at an American university and he was an activist with US-based Islamic institutions before he held senior positions, including as executive director of the United Association for Studies and Research for 10 years.

Yousef returned to the Gaza Strip following the withdrawal of the Israeli army in 2005 and Hamas’ legislative elections victory. He was appointed political adviser to then-Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh in 2006.

Yousef, who has been a Muslim Brotherhood member for 45 years and has held senior positions within Hamas, which he refused to divulge, pointed out that the pragmatist line within Hamas is growing. According to him, this comes in light of the internal debates that are taking place within Hamas following the wars in Gaza in 2008, 2012 and 2014. He played down the importance of the talk about the growing influence of the military wing within Hamas, because the movement has political and media arms, as well as an Islamic political project.