It was with some difficulty that Hamas agreed to extend the ceasefire with Israel for another five days Wednesday . The movement sees a second truce extension as a sign of weakness after 35 days of fighting with Israel . Hamas has used this war to achieve some tactical and strategic objectives and considers itself the winner in the conflict . As such , it believes it can dictate terms . Hamas has seen this war as an opportunity not only to end the blockade of Gaza , but also to end its political isolation and allow itself to present itself as the face of Palestinians -- on and off the battlefield . Hamas ' public image has suffered since it came to rule in Gaza in 2007 . It chose to keep its focus on resistance , rather than governance , leaving that instead to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas . Seven years on , the blockade by Israel and Egypt had left the group in dire financial straits . Reuters reports Hamas has struggled to pay some 40,000 civil servants and security personnel . The United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs said last month `` former de facto government employees , including the security forces , have not been paid salaries regularly since August 2013 and no salaries at all since April 2014 . '' Hamas had hoped that an April agreement to form a `` consensus government '' with Fatah -- which runs the government in the West Bank -- would resolve the issue . When it did not , Hamas tried to achieve its goals through the conflict with Israel . The already miserable situation in Gaza meant that its fighters had nothing to lose and mass Palestinian casualties , as well damage to property and infrastructure , hardened their resolve . A battle that was launched for humble goals has ended with increased Arab and Palestinian sympathy -- and an expansion of Hamas ' objectives . Indeed , some Palestinians believe that Hamas ' aims are more factional than national . Some members of Fatah have told me that Hamas prevented their military wing -- the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades -- fighting during the conflict with Israel , placing around 60 members under house arrest . Hamas also hoped that its war with Israel would indirectly increase public support for its ally in Egypt , the now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood . However , Hamas is unlikely to quell Egyptian anger at the Brotherhood -- the movement of ousted President Mohamed Morsy . Cairo may have received a high-level delegation from Hamas for peace talks , but it remains hostile to the movement . Hamas ' insistence in the peace negotiations on having an independent seaport and airport is aimed at avoiding pressure from Egypt , ruled as it now is by a regime that regards Hamas as an enemy . Hamas has also been at loggerheads with countries such as Saudi Arabia , the UAE and Jordan , which -- like Egypt -- are looking unfavorably at political Islam . Meanwhile , the group 's decision to back Syrian rebels against Bashar al-Assad 's regime saw it fighting Israel without the support of Tehran , Hezbollah and Damascus for the first time . The conflict has severely depleted Hamas ' arsenal , and it will now be compelled to return to Iran 's orbit to rebuild . After two cease-fires and 10 days of negotiations in Cairo Hamas still does not seem to have achieved its objectives . There has been no breakthrough with Israel regarding the re-opening of the border crossings , or ending the blockade . And whatever the agreement with Israel , the Palestinian Authority will be tasked to control Rafah and other Gaza ground crossings with Israel . Any money for the reconstruction of Gaza will also be channeled through the PA , with the conflict thus ensuring the authority takes partial control of Gaza . Despite this erosion of power , Hamas has used the conflict to reestablish itself as an important player in the Middle East , after two years that saw the Muslim Brotherhood and its allies pushed to the margins . Gaza cease-fire extension appears to hold . Israel and its neighbors : Decades of war . Is Mideast peace as far away as ever ?
Hamas and Israel agreed Wednesday to extend a truce for Wednesday . Palestinians negotiators demands ' include a lifting of Israel and Gaza 's blockade on Gaza . But Mohamed Morsy says Fatah ' objectives also include ending its political isolation . He says the group has used the conflict to reposition itself as the face of Palestinians .