Hamas, Islamic Jihad Form Election Alliance Against Abbas With Fatah Ex-Official

In a significant political development, Hamas and the Islamic Jihad have agreed to form an unexpected electoral coalition with Mohammed Dahlan, a former senior Fatah official and a prominent figure often discussed as a potential successor to Mahmoud Abbas in Gaza. The agreement was reported by the Associated Press, citing Palestinian sources.

Dahlan, who has close ties with the United Arab Emirates and has engaged in extensive talks with American and Israeli officials during the recent conflict, is joining forces with the militant groups. This surprising alliance could challenge the dominance of Abbas's Fatah party, but its impact hinges on whether the Palestinian national elections, the first in two decades, will actually take place. Abbas has announced elections for November 28 in Gaza and the West Bank, though he has postponed them multiple times in the past.

The formation of the electoral alliance was confirmed by the deputy secretary-general of Islamic Jihad, Mohammed al-Hindi, who told the AP that the coalition would support a "unified national list." This list might include independent figures rather than solely members of the involved organizations. It will feature a bloc led by Dahlan, who left Fatah in 2010 after a bitter dispute with Abbas and was previously expelled from Gaza by Hamas.

Sources suggest the alliance stems from a shared frustration with Abbas, whose leadership is widely seen as autocratic, corrupt, and ineffective among Palestinians. The 90-year-old Abbas has remained in power since his mandate expired in 2009, while Hamas continues to control parts of Gaza amidst the ongoing war with Israel.

Dimitri Deliani, a spokesperson for Dahlan's "Democratic Reformist Current," confirmed the electoral pact, criticizing the Palestinian Authority's leadership for failing Gaza and the Palestinian people. He indicated that other Palestinian groups and independent professionals are being sought to join the alliance under a unified national rehabilitation plan. Earlier, in August, Hamas announced that Dahlan and Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya had met in Cairo to discuss ending the "monopoly on national decision-making and formulating a comprehensive national strategy."