After the Egyptian army deposed President Mohammed Morsi on July 3, Hamas felt as if it had been struck by an earthquake.

These fears became reality when the Egyptian authorities closed the Rafah border crossing and destroyed 80% of the tunnels that link Gaza with Sinai. Furthermore, a propaganda offensive was unleashed against the Palestinians in the Egyptian media, the last chapter of which was talk about establishing a security buffer zone between Egypt and Gaza.

More than two months after the events in Egypt, some Hamas members who met with Al-Monitor in Gaza feel that the situation with Egypt is beginning to stabilize despite the tense security atmosphere and declining economic situation engendered by a slew of factors. Most significant among these are: the intensity of security pressure on the Muslim Brotherhood inside Egypt; the amount of internal decisions adopted by the interim regime, such as the appointment of a constitutional committee and preparations to set parliamentary election dates; and the preoccupation of Arab countries and the international community with the Syrian file at the expense of the Egyptian one.

As a result, serious discussions have been underway lately among among leadership circles within Hamas about opening a new page to deal with the Egyptian developments in an attempt to ease tensions, according to a Hamas official who spoke with Al-Monitor. These discussions have included various governmental and organizational circles, as well as media figures and those on the ground. There is also an understanding that the Palestinians have the most to lose from the ongoing Egyptian actions.