Egypt ban surprises Hamas
Egypt's decision this week to ban Hamas activities has caught the Palestinian Islamist movement off guard, with concerns it's heading on a collision course with Cairo.
The Gaza Strip is living through a state of tension after a Cairo court ruled on March 3 to ban all Hamas activities in Egypt, freeze their funds and close their headquarters. This came in response to a lawsuit accusing Hamas of storming Egypt’s border in 2008, and of being involved in the storming of Egyptian prisons during the January 2011 revolution.
The decision worsened the already tense relationship between Egypt and Hamas.
But Egypt’s latest decision surprised Hamas, which did not expect relations to approach a complete break. As soon as the court decision was made, a media campaign by Hamas-affiliated Aqsa TV rejected the decision and considered it a stab in the back of the Palestinian resistance and a free service to Israel.
Political decision
