everybody is saying hamass path works and abu mazens doesnt whos more likely to replace himfor the moment officials involved say the qatarifunded fuel shipments and cash infusions are making a dent in at least the most immediate problems afflicting gazansi was talking to a family the other day that said i can actually charge my phone said jamie mcgoldrick the united nations humanitarian coordinator for the palestinian territories it means somebodys got a bit better life than they had two weeks agobut the electrical system which has benefited from minimal usage because of mild weather is expected to be strained again in a few weeks when winter weather arrives and gazans turn on the heatimagecreditmahmud hamsagence francepresse getty imageseven some of those collecting their checks on friday were less than sanguine this is only a painkiller said raed abu safia 46 a science teacher from gaza city after receiving about 40 percent of a months salary im drowning in debtbeyond those initial steps much more must be done for a ceasefire to take hold say people familiar with the egyptian planin coming weeks hamas expects to keep a lid on the protests allowing peaceful demonstrations but preventing people from using explosives or wire cutters to damage the fence for example said basem naim a former gaza health ministerin return hamas expects egypt to ease the movement of gaza residents through the rafah crossing into sinai hamas wants israel to extend the gaza fishing zone to 12 14 or even 20 nautical miles into the mediterranean and to increase the number of gaza businessmen it allows across the israeli borderhamas also wants thousands of permits for gaza laborers to cross into israel which israel has rejected so far on security grounds but celine touboul a gaza expert at israels economic cooperation foundation said that could changeone year ago israeli officials wouldve told you no way theyll authorize a transfer of cash for hamas civil servants she said but the situation is so tense theyve changed their mindsa more lasting dtente between israel and gaza however would require progress in areas where the differences seem irreconcilable israel wants hamas to relinquish two israeli captives and the bodies of two israeli soldiers as a precondition for allowing major international reconstruction projects in gaza hamas has so far refused the demand unless it is part of a largescale prisoner swapand egypts main goal remains to restore the palestinian authority to power in gaza but mr abbas is unlikely to go along with that unless either hamas unilaterally disarms or israel provides assurances that it will not punish him should hamas on his watch use weapons against israelsuch assurances are unlikely particularly with elections coming soon in israel said nimrod novik a veteran israeli peace negotiator with close ties to egypt and the palestiniansmr novik said he feared that israel would find itself back in much the same place facing a possible gaza war in a matter of months the shortterm stuff is only