Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has stated that the Hamas movement could transition into a political party provided it meets specific conditions.
"Hamas still has the opportunity to become a political party if [the movement] accepts the principles of the Palestine Liberation Organization, which recognizes Israel, respects its international commitments, and supports the two-state solution," Abbas told Italy's Corriere della Sera newspaper.
Regarding elections, Abbas noted that parliamentary and presidential votes could be organized within a year after the conclusion of military operations, while news about preparing a provisional constitution would be announced in the coming months. "We are working on two legislative norms—concerning elections and political parties," he explained.
The Palestinian leader is scheduled to visit Italy on November 7, where he will meet with Pope Leo XIV.
These developments follow the October 9 announcement by US President Donald Trump that Israeli and Hamas representatives had reached agreement on the first phase of a plan involving the release of all hostages held in Gaza and the withdrawal of Israeli troops to designated positions. The ceasefire agreement took effect on October 10.
Tensions resurfaced on October 19 when the Israeli military reported a ceasefire violation near Rafah in southern Gaza, claiming Palestinian militants had fired on its troops. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed Hamas and ordered the military to "take measures" against the militants, leading to a series of strikes across the enclave targeting dozens of sites. Israel later clarified that the morning incident in Rafah resulted in two soldiers killed and one critically wounded. Hamas representatives have denied any connection to the Rafah incident.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS