Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has reaffirmed plans to hold the first Palestinian parliamentary election in 20 years on November 28. He made the pledge in a pre-recorded address to the United Nations General Assembly on September 24, after the United States denied him a visa to attend in New York.

Hamas said it will take part in the vote. The group told Reuters it is in talks with other factions to form a coalition aimed at challenging Abbas's Fatah movement. The discussions reportedly include former Fatah leader Mohammad Dahlan, who is based in the United Arab Emirates.

Doubts remain over whether the vote can take place. Fatah officials have questioned how ballots will reach Gaza, citing Israel's refusal to allow ballot boxes and election materials into the territory. Fatah has also not yet announced its own candidate list.

The last parliamentary vote, held in 2006, was won by Hamas. France has urged Abbas to keep his promise and pushed for European Union election observers. A successful vote would let Palestinians choose their leaders for the first time in two decades.