Pessimism is overly prevalent among Hamas leaders in the Gaza Strip with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas setting conditions to complete the reconciliation, and donors linking the implementation of projects in Gaza with the legitimate government regaining control over the strip.
Hamas officials regarded Abbas's conditions as “impossible” to meet especially those pertaining to the group’s military wing and handover of weapons, Palestinian sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.
Sources added that the movement is considering alternatives to deal with the politically complex situation, in light of Israeli stalemate on reaching a truce.
They added that the Israeli position came in parallel with Egypt no longer pushing for intra-Palestinian reconciliation as a precondition for a truce.
Salah al-Bardawil, a member of the Hamas political bureau, said that the group has lost hope on reconciliation succeeding with Abbas heading the PA.
“There is no hope of reconciling with someone who isolates Gaza, and sells the cause,” Bardawil said in reference to Abbas.
In a televised interview with the Al-Aqsa TV, Bardawil accused Abbas of wanting to command the Palestinian decision, and of pressuring Egypt, which is sponsoring Hamas-Fatah reconciliation talks, to link the truce with reconciliation.
He stressed that the movement “is going to break the siege on Gaza, with or without Abbas' approval.”
He is rejecting all talks and foiling Egyptian efforts to end the siege of Gaza, Bardawil accused Abbas.
Abbas had pressed the Egyptian side to link the truce with reconciliation and empowerment of the Palestinian Authority in Gaza, he added.
Bardawil's statements came in parallel with the Gaza-ruling group launching a large media campaign against Abbas and the West Bank based PA.
In recent days, Hamas media hosted anti-Abbas Palestinian, Arab and international figures belonging to minor and unknown parties as part of its campaign to rally public opinion against Abbas.
Hamas is trying to sway Palestinian, Arab and international positions into its favor against Abbas.
