By Taghreed Saadeh
Hamas continues to maneuver politically as if it alone holds the keys to the Palestinian cause. In reality, however, it is only tightening its grip on Gaza, blocking any prospect of genuine Palestinian unity. All indications suggest that the movement is intent on entrenching a de facto authority, indifferent to the heavy price paid by the people of the devastated and besieged Gaza Strip.
In political terms, it is natural for the Israeli occupation to maneuver in ways that prevent the Palestinian Authority from exercising its sovereignty. What is striking, however, is that some Palestinian factions are doing the same. Despite criticism, the Authority still enjoys Arab, Islamic, and international support, granting it political legitimacy. Even during the Sharm El-Sheikh Conference, when the U.S. President Donald Trump addressed President Mahmoud Abbas saying, “You are the voice of Palestine,” it was a direct acknowledgment of the Authority’s legitimacy despite their differences.
What is particularly notable today is what Hamas promotes regarding the so-called advisory committee intended to oversee the administration of Gaza. While it initially agreed with Fatah, under Egyptian mediation, that the committee would be under the Authority’s under the supervision, it later retreated, stripping the Authority of any official role. Hamas even went further, attempting to place the blame on Fatah for the failed meetings after inviting the factions to discuss the committee’s formation. This is not the first time Hamas has employed this tactic, manufacturing conflict while presenting itself publicly as a guardian of unity, all the while accusing Fatah of obstruction and refusal.
In this complex context, the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza appears to be a national necessity rather than a political choice. Its absence entrenches division and opens the door to suspicious international projects aimed at resolving the Palestinian issue on terms detrimental to the people, while Hamas exploits the slogan of “resistance” to justify its continued rule.
The most dangerous aspect of this reality is the shift of some Palestinian forces toward positions sympathetic to Hamas, under the banner of unity and resistance, while these positions often conceal personal or political calculations rather than genuine national interests.
Palestinians must think critically and free themselves from the grip of slogans. The word “resistance” is no longer sufficient to justify everything, particularly when it becomes a cover for maintaining rule and division. Resistance that has not liberated land, but has effectively allowed Gaza to remain occupied, claiming thousands of lives in successive wars without achieving any real national gains, cannot remain a sacred slogan.
While Hamas continues its maneuvers and political manipulations, Gaza continues to pay the price in blood, dignity, and future prospects, waiting for the day when the voice of the homeland rises above the voice of a faction that has monopolized the Strip for two decades and still seems unsatisfied with that power.
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