The measures, which brought the Gaza problem back to the agenda, were discontinued to advance in the path of understanding.

Even without knowing the exact motives for Hamas' decision to halt Friday's Friday demonstrations on the fence, and to renew it only in late March, one thing is clear: The organization's leadership in Gaza is interested in the regulation, and is ready to do anything so that nothing will disrupt its plans.

The step taken by Hamas is dramatic, not least. The protests, which began on Earth Day in 2018, were the anchor through which Hamas returned its affairs to the agenda, and Israel to the discussion table. They have not only allowed him to channel the rage of the street over the precarious economic situation against Israel, but also to preserve a permanent - even minor - scene of war that would remind Israel of the price it might pay if it did not move toward agreed calm.

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Quite a few cases of rocket fire in the last 20 months began demonstrations on the fence, and there was revenge on Palestinians who were killed. Hamas was not always responsible for the outcome, but it was in fact the sole responsibility: it organized the protests, published them and made sure people, first adults, and in recent months young children (sometimes less than 10), knowing that the IDF would avoid harming them.

From the outset, Israel put a halt to the protests as a condition for progress in negotiations on the lull talks. Israel did not always meet this demand - the talks went ahead even though the protests continued - but Hamas now wants to signal to Israel that its intentions are serious, and therefore it has not taken the exception. There was a first signal from Gaza: Hamas has systematically avoided rocket fire in Israel in recent months, and it did so in the tense days following the killing of Baha'u Abu Alta in early November, and since then, Hamas has canceled most demonstrations on the fence, fearing that local windsurfing could lead to casualties and loss. , Which will cause escalation that is not desirable for him now.

Hamas' decision may also be due to the weather, and the fear that many would prefer to stay home during the winter and rainy days of January-February. And still, a strategic tenet: The organization wants the series, so it can rebuild the Strip. He fears that continuing the current situation - with a focus on high unemployment and the infrastructure crisis - will increase his distrust and strengthen his opponents.

Even so, Hamas is having a hard time enforcing its authority in the Gaza Strip. The shooting of Ashkelon on Tuesday during Prime Minister Netanyahu's primaries speech was further evidence of this. As before, it was carried out by rogue elements (probably Islamic Jihadists), who are mainly looking to make a mess. Hamas does carry out quite a bit of internal security action against its opponents, but its main response to its criticism of the House is to be in the form of the series, which will lead to calm, which will improve the economic situation in the Gaza Strip.

After putting two of his main cards on the table - the rocket fire and the demonstrations on the fence - Hamas has one more card: the Israeli civilians and the bodies of soldiers he holds. It is doubtful that he will relinquish them with the same ease, and it may now be the case that Israel will be required to make a move - any concessions or gestures, humanitarian and other - to allow progress in talks on an agreement.

The political-security leadership now has a broad consensus on the need to move forward with a Hamas deal. A major reason for this is the desire to focus on the Iranian threat and the northern front, but not least on the realization that there is now a rare, unique window of time in which the interests of Israel and Hamas intersect. Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi insisted on his speech in Herzliya yesterday, but the ball is in the hands of the political echelon, which is in a dilemma between the need to be "tough" on the eve of the elections and the need to ease the Palestinians in Gaza to avoid war.

The clear Israeli interest is now to prioritize calm in Gaza, which will also restore the long-awaited peace to the surrounding communities. This requires decision-makers to transcend political considerations - coalition and opposition - and utilize the fitness hour to exhaust the process. Failure to do so could push Hamas into a corner, which will begin with the promised renewal of the protests in March, and the continuation may be escalating, which Israel has no interest in.