Whatever the Policy, Hamas Will Gain

That, more or less, is the message of this article from the Economist. While Israel was maintaining a strict blockade, it was strengthening Hamas. Now that it's alleviating the blockade, it's strengthening Hamas. If one assumes this is true, shouldn't one also begin to wonder if perhaps the population of Gaza likes Hamas? Of its own free volition, I mean?

And note this paragraph:

But keeping Israel’s supplies out will be hard. After three years of reliance on underground smuggling from Egypt, Gaza’s merchants are again buying Israeli. Since Mr Netanyahu’s promise to ease the blockade, an eerie silence has fallen over Gaza’s border with Egypt, which hitherto echoed to the whirl of a thousand winches hauling goods to the surface. Now shopkeepers fear being lumbered with shelves of unwanted tunnel-tattered products, as Israel’s neater goods pour in. In the past, underground traffickers would have organised one of Gaza’s fighting groups to attack an Israeli position in order to provoke a closure and keep trade from Egypt flowing. But as part of its informal non-aggression deal with Israel, Hamas is policing the border and pounces on anyone operating without its consent. [My italics]

Did we ever read about this sort of thing while it was happening? Ever? Even once? No? Did the reporter perhaps just learn it now, and that's why we were never told previously?