 One Fatah operative said that Abbas had been threatening to call early elections for the past five months and that "more threats are not going to work".The announcement of elections provoked high tensions and gun battles between Hamas and Fatah supporters.Abbas strongly denied allegations that members of Fatah and the Force 17 "Presidential Guard" were behind the assassination attempt on Ismail Haniyeh, and he criticized the kidnapping of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.