Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Monday he is pushing ahead with early elections — despite factional fighting that intensified after his initial call for a poll — and appealed for international help in restarting peace talks with Israel. In the Gaza Strip, where the Palestinian infighting has been concentrated, there was a relative lull after the sides declared a truce late Sunday. By Monday evening, the tensions threatened to explode anew after a Fatah supporter was killed in a gunfight and a senior Fatah official was briefly seized by Hamas militants. Full Story