PM Netanyahu: Hamas would continue arming for future battle rather than
attack now if not for economic pressure

"The situation in Gaza may be divided in two. First of all, here is, of
course, the permanent effort by Hamas to arm itself and organize against
Israel but what really adds to this is the second component. The second part
is, of course, that in the last year Abu Mazen has made the situation in
Gaza more difficult by choking off the flow of funds from the Palestinian
Authority to Gaza. As a result of this chokehold, pressures have been
created there and as a result of the pressures, from time to time Hamas
attacks Israel at a relatively low intensity but the chokehold is
tightening.

Prime Minister Netanyahu [translated from Hebrew] in response to a question
about Gaza, during press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel
Thursday, 4 October 2018,