The unstable relationship between Egypt and Hamas in Gaza is unlikely to improve soon, as new pressures join long-standing tensions between the two. Even news that most consider positive — that the Rafah crossing could be reopening — is causing friction.
Egypt’s ongoing closure of the Rafah crossing is a particularly sensitive issue. The Ministry of Interior in Gaza announced Oct. 16 that the number of people who need to travel through the crossing has reached more than 25,000 people since the beginning of 2015, as Egypt has only opened the crossing for 19 intermittent days this year.