Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas leader, announces that he is ready to discuss with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas for Palestinian unity

Khalil al-Hayya, one of Hamas's leaders, said the organization is ready to hold talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to lay the foundations for a national program and restore Palestinian unity. The statement comes ahead of the Israeli elections on October 27 and the parliamentary vote scheduled in Palestine for November 28.

Hamas's position was expressed amid the war in Gaza, in which more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to the enclave's Health Ministry, which is controlled by the Islamist movement. The United Nations considers these figures reliable.

The Israeli elections are expected to be difficult for Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, who has promised not to withdraw troops from Gaza and rejected a U.S. peace agreement accepted by Hamas. Netanyahu has questioned the group's willingness to disarm.

The Palestinian vote, if it takes place, would be the first in 20 years. The last elections were held in 2006 and were won by Hamas over the Fatah movement, led by Mahmoud Abbas. Since 2007, Hamas has controlled Gaza, while Abbas has governed the West Bank by decree. The Hamas leader warned that any postponement of the elections should be used to restore the Palestinian political order.