BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) -- Several Palestinian faction leaders on Sunday blamed internal disagreement within Hamas for the failure to announce a unity government.

"Hamas says a trend within the movement is reluctant about Abbas heading the new government for constitutional rather than political reasons," Palestinian Popular Struggle Front member Ahmad Majdalani said.

This internal division, which cites a constitutional excuse, is a major obstacle, he added.

"Hamas does not think elections can be held currently because the atmosphere isn’t appropriate for elections. They consider elections a means to rotate authority, but not to turn the table against Hamas," the PPSF member said.

He said that Hamas has not allowed the Palestinian Central Elections Commission to update the electoral register in the Gaza Strip, a major obstacle to elections taking place.

The PPSF want a transitional government that would last no more than 130 days, Majdalani said.

Wasil Abu Yousef, a senior member of the Palestinian Liberation Front, also blamed Hamas for not allowing the election register in Gaza to be updated.

"One of the main tasks of the interim government would be to carry out elections, and that can’t be done if electoral registers are not updated," he said.

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri responded to the comments by blaming President Abbas.

"Hamas considers such remarks absurd and casting disdain on the feelings of our people who pin great hopes on reconciliation," he said.

"Such lies and false claims are meant to veil the fact that Mahmoud Abbas was the one who openly requested that delay."