The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories on Jan. 7 made the announcement Gaza residents had waited over more than seven months to hear. On the administrative body's Arabic Facebook page, Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai wrote, “Recently the Palestinian Authority turned [to Israel] with the request to turn on the electricity after its supply was constricted in June 2017, and promised to pay the requisite costs. Israel discussed the request and after much indecision and misgivings, it accepted the Authority’s appeal only out of humanitarian considerations and in light of the deep suffering of the residents. In the next few days, Israel will increase the currently limited electrical supply to 120 megawatts via the 10 high-power lines that extend from Israel to the Gaza Strip, as had been the case until June 2017.”

Mordechai said the security-diplomatic Cabinet had agreed more than a year ago to add 100 megawatts to the Strip's supply on condition that a humanitarian issue be resolved: the return of the bodies of Israeli soldiers Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul, held by Hamas since the 2014 Gaza war. The families of the two soldiers expressed their objection to Israel’s willingness to restore power to Gaza despite Hamas' refusal to return the bodies of their sons. Perhaps as a show of goodwill to the families, Mordechai also shared a message from Leah Goldin, Goldin’s mother, directed at the people of Gaza. “Do not allow yourself to be held hostage by the Hamas terror organization,” Leah Goldin wrote. “Humanitarianism and benevolence must go two ways.”

The PA's request had taken Israel by surprise. Until recently, the Palestinian reconciliation process had reportedly remained stuck over President Mahmoud Abbas' refusal to remove the sanctions on Gaza, until control over the armed forces in Gaza was resolved. Israel had based all its plans on these reports. High-level Hamas members even complained that despite Hamas' clearly stated willingness to forfeit civil control in the Strip and allow for far-reaching compromises, Abbas stubbornly refused and showed no signs of readiness to put an end to the crisis. All this changed during the past weekend.

Abbas’ agreement to fund Gaza’s electrical supply even as the United States threatens to reduce aid to the PA is no small thing. The cost of Gaza's electricity consumption is estimated at about 40 million shekels ($11.6 million) a month. Some of the money will come from the PA’s taxes that Israel will deduct, some from countries around the world and some from international aid foundations.