While lifting the blockade would improve Hamas’s material capacity, and doubtlessly they would take advantage of that, it’s no excuse to keep 2 million plus people in a state of effective siege, especially since the continuation of the siege only offers the prospect of indefinite continuation or the destruction of the besieged considering that the terms offered by Israel are unacceptable to the Palestinian people. Lifting the siege would have materially strengthened Hamas, but could have damaged their support, especially if elections were held in Gaza.

But that requires Israel to have a genuine interest in peace, which it does not.