Abbas to ask Hamas to form government

Thousands of activists from Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah Party protested throughout the Gaza Strip today, burning abandoned cars, shooting in the air and demanding corrupt party leaders resign in the wake of their devastating election loss to the militant Hamas movement.

With Hamas winning a strong majority in the parliamentary elections this week, Abbas said he will ask the Islamic group to form the next Palestinian government, but Fatah rejected a role in the new Cabinet and Israel ruled out peace talks in what could be the first steps to isolate the militant group after its election victory.