Hamas, Sinai, and Jerusalem

Having failed to accomplish much in the recent Gaza war, Hamas has begun a new strategy of cooperation with al-Qaeda-linked terrorist groups in the Sinai peninsula. This new collaboration allows it to participate in attacks on Egypt and creates an opportunity to smuggle weapons into Gaza from Sinai, mostly through tunnels. In response, however, Egypt has located and destroyed tunnels and closed off its border with Gaza. As a result, civil reconstruction is at a standstill and an increasingly isolated Hamas has turned to attacks in Jerusalem and its effort to take over the West Bank: