Hamas is exploring potential alliances with figures and factions once considered to be on the opposite end of the Palestinian political spectrum, including former Fatah figure Mohammed Dahlan and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), ahead of the Palestinian Legislative Council elections, the terror group and other factions confirmed.
The election, set to be held on November 28, 2026, will be the first Palestinian legislative election in two decades, following Hamas’s takeover of the Gaza Strip a year after the previous election in 2006.
Dahlan met with Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya in Egypt on Monday to discuss “unity of the national position,” the Democratic Reform Bloc, a breakaway faction of Fatah led by Dahlan, confirmed in a statement.
Hamas chief discussed roadmap for second phase of ceasefire with Dahlan
Imad Mohsen, spokesperson for the Democratic Reform Bloc, said Dahlan and Hayya “discussed in depth and with responsibility all issues concerning our Palestinian arena, foremost among them the efforts to protect our people and strengthen the national position… within the framework of the efforts of the leadership of the movement and the national forces to ensure the unity of the national position and the developments in the negotiation process that led to the approval of the roadmap for implementing the second phase of the ceasefire agreement.”
Dahlan rose to prominence in Palestinian politics as the first head of the Preventive Security Service (PSS). He oversaw the internal intelligence and paramilitary organization until he resigned in 2002 in protest at delayed political reforms.
During that period, Dahlan established himself as a powerful security figure within the Palestinian Authority (PA) and a prominent voice in internal political and security affairs.
Notably, Dahlan has accused both Fatah and Hamas of corruption and was reportedly behind a US-backed plot to unseat Hamas in 2007. Despite this, he began thawing ties with the group in 2017, appearing at public online events with officials from Hamas.
A Hamas official also confirmed to The National news site that the group is forming a “political alliance” with multiple factions, though the official said the matter remained “under study.” Abdel Fattah Dawla, the spokesperson of Fatah, denied that Hamas’s new political alliance held any legitimacy.
Fatah spokesperson denies Hamas alliance is legitimate
“On what political and national basis is this alliance being formed? What are its objectives and what are its points of reference?”
Harel Chorev, a senior researcher at the Moshe Dayan Center specializing in the social and political history of the Palestinians, commented to The Jerusalem Post that Dahlan’s likely temporary connection with Hamas should be seen more as a strategic play by the bloc than a true alliance.
“Dahlan wants to maintain his influence in the Gaza Strip, which he does with the money he brings in. He has no desire to be in second place. So, if an opportunity arises that allows him to take over, he will take over,” Chorev explained.
“In the meantime, he’s keeping all the cards very close to his chest and cooperating for the sake of the people, the civilians, and so on and so forth. But at the end of the day, he has no desire, as I said, to remain instrumental to Hamas’ purposes and not his own.”
On Hamas’s motivation, Chorev theorized that it was likely being pushed along by the more pragmatic figures in the group.
Support for Hamas fell from 35% 10 months ago (32% in the West Bank and 41% in Gaza) to 24% (18% in the West Bank and 33% in Gaza), bringing it level with support for Fatah, according to a survey by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research published earlier this month.
Asked who they would prefer to succeed Abbas, 16% named Hayya and 15% chose Dahlan.