GAZA, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- A senior Hamas official said on Monday that Hamas agreed to hold the general elections in the Palestinian territories after four countries have guaranteed the success of the elections.

The guarantees were given by Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and Russia, said Taher al-Nono, an aide to Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh, in a press statement

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas earlier said he had received a letter from Haniyeh on ending the dispute between Hamas and Abbas' Fatah.

"Haniyeh's letter to President Abbas to hold the elections came as a step to achieve partnership and unity of the Palestinian institution on three levels: legislative, presidential, and the National Council," al-Nono said.

He revealed that Hana Nasser, chairman of the Palestinian Central Elections Commission, will soon visit Gaza to prepare and negotiate a mechanism for the elections.

On Sunday, Haniyeh said in a televised speech aired on Al-Aqsa TV that Hamas and Fatah had put an end to their dispute over the general elections, adding Hamas was ready to participate in the legislative and presidential elections.

The internal division between Fatah and Hamas came after Hamas routed Abbas' security forces in the Gaza Strip and seized control of the Palestinian enclave in the summer of 2007. Enditem

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