A delegation headed by Yehia Sinwar, the leader of Hamas's political bureau in Gaza, arrived in Cairo on Sunday for talks with the Egyptian General Intelligence. Hazem Qassem, the official Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said the delegation also included Tawfik Abu Naim and Rouhi Moshtaha and the purpose of the visit was “to discuss the blockade on Gaza and Egypt's valued role in alleviating it”. Salah Al-Bardaweil, a member of the political bureau, added that “the visit comes in the framework of ongoing communications and coordination with our Egyptian brothers over the process of opening the crossing and other issues of mutual concern”. It is Sinwar's first visit abroad since taking control of Hamas in Gaza two months ago. Formerly one of Hamas' leading security officials Sinwar was released, as was Moshtaha, as part of the exchange deal for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit brokered by Egyptian Intelligence in 2011. According to a former Egyptian intelligence officer, both men are on good terms with Cairo, a result of the role Egypt played in their release. Cairo views Hamas as partly responsible for the deterioration in the security situation in Sinai following the 30 June Revolution and has accused the group of complicity in terrorist attacks in Egypt, including providing logistical support for the assassination of prosecutor-general Hisham Barakat. Egyptian officials believe the situation in Hamas-controlled Gaza has aggravated security conditions in North Sinai where Palestinian operatives, working either for Hamas or other resistance and jihadist movements, operate with impunity along the border strip. Tarek Fahmi, a Palestinian affairs expert at the National Centre of Middle Eastern Studies, says the importance of the current visit resides in the “new faces” that Hamas dispatched to Cairo and in the fact it is taking place in the aftermath of Hamas' amending of its charter. He adds that the opening of the Sinai-Gaza crossing was probably at the top of the delegation's agenda. Mohamed Abu Shaar, a political analyst from Gaza, also believes the timing of the visit is significant, though not because of Hamas' recently amended charter. “Hamas is feeling repercussions from the diplomatic crisis in the Gulf. It already suffers from a funding shortage and this will grow worse. The administration it created in Gaza is already running a 50 per cent deficit. The Qassem brigades, which were living in clover at the height of the tunnel trade, have begun to feel the pinch and it is showing. Hamas no longer has anyone to turn to but Cairo. And though Cairo has demands, especially in terms of security, that will cost Hamas, Sinwar is shrewd and will attempt to revive relations with Cairo while simultaneously steering them in a direction more favourable to Hamas. But the fact is Hamas' room for manoeuvre has shrunk, whether with respect to Iran, owing to the situation in Syria or Qatar given Doha's escalating crisis with Riyadh and Abu Dhabi.” The Cairo-Hamas relationship can be characterised as tepid but it experiences ups and downs which are often reflected in the status of the Rafah crossing and in the arrival of Hamas delegations to Cairo. The Rafah crossing was last opened by Egypt several weeks ago, though only to allow stranded Palestinians to re-enter Gaza. It has not been open in both directions for more than two months now. But who knows? With the election of a new political bureau and the arrival of Hamas' latest delegation to Cairo tepid might be shifting to something warmer.
