Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas vowed on Thursday to continue peace negotiations with Israel to end the conflict after Hamas won a stunning victory in the Palestinian legislative elections.
Abbas made the statement in a televised speech to the nation after the Palestinian Central Election Commission declared the official results of Wednesday's elections which showed the militant group Hamas won 76 out of 132 seats in the legislative council and Abbas's Fatah movement lost its grip on parliament with 46 seats.
"I am determined to implement the program on which I was elected," Abbas said.
"It is a program which is based on negotiations as a means to reach a peaceful resolution to the conflict with Israel," he added.
Abbas said that he would hold consultation with Hamas on the formation of a new government.
He said the coming government has responsibilities to implement the US-backed road map peace plan which aims to establish an independent Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel.
Abbas also called for world pressure on Israel to end settlement activities, stop building the separation wall and release Palestinian prisoners.
Meanwhile, Israeli emergency cabinet meeting decided Thursday night that Israel would not negotiate with Hamas until it renounced violence and recognized Israel's right to exist.