US agreed to allow Hamas to participate in PA election, says senior Fatah leader
Senior Fatah leader Sufian Abu Zaida: "I'll tell you a secret. Someone might ask why Hamas hadn't agreed recently—over the last few months, the last few years—why it hadn't agreed to disarm or hand over its weapons or put away its weapons, etc. ... For Hamas, it was a red line that couldn't be crossed… Now, the question is why did Hamas agree to this matter [now] after this long period of time? It agreed because there are guarantees. After brother Muhammad Dahlan, head of the Democratic Reform Movement, intervened directly with Jared Kushner, there were questions to which Hamas received [positive] answers… Will the US oppose the Hamas movement's participation in the Palestinian political system? Elections are supposed to be held on November 27 or 28 this year, meaning in three-and-a-half months. Is Hamas allowed to participate in these elections? The answer is yes. It is allowed to participate in these elections. Maybe it won't participate with flashy and well-known names—leaders from the first and second tier, but it will have a list and support it. In my opinion, there won't be opposition to this, meaning will Hamas become a political movement? The answer is yes."
[Sky News Arabia, Instagram page, Aug. 11, 2026]
Sufian Abu Zaida is the former PA minister of prisoner affairs.