Flags of different political parties line a street in Gaza on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2006. Palestinians turned out in large numbers for their first parliamentary election in a decade.
A poster for Ameen el Hendi is taped to the hood of a car in Gaza. The former intelligence chief is a candidate for Fatah, the party of the Palestinian Authority.
An elderly woman is led by her son into a polling station in Gaza City on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2006. She won't vote, so her son will do so on her behalf.
A jar of ink is ready for voters in Gaza City on Jan. 25, 2006. Amid tight security, Palestinians cast ballots in their first parliament election in a decade Wednesday. Both the ruling Fatah Party and its challenger, the Islamic militant Hamas, said they were confident of victory, while pollsters said the race was too close to call.
A member of the Fatah party shows her support outside a polling station in Gaza on Jan. 25, 2006. The party of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has dominated Palestinian politics since its founding four decades ago, and has run the Palestinian Authority since its creation in 1994.
Members of the Islamic militant Hamas party greet voters outside of a poling station in Gaza City on Jan, 25, 2006. The ruling Fatah party and its challenger, the Islamic militant Hamas, said they were confident of victory, while pollsters said the race was too close to call. Both parties said they would consider a coalition if no clear victor emerges.
Members of the Hamas party stand outside a polling station in Gaza on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2005.
A poll sheet shows the signatures of voters in the Palestinian parliamentary elections Jan. 25, 2006, in Gaza City. Those who are illiterate signed with their fingerprints.
Members of the Islamic militant Hamas party stand outside of a polling station in a Gaza camp on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2006.
A Hamas woman hides her face from the camera at a polling station Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2006, in Gaza.
An election poster shows instructions for illiterate voters Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2006, in Gaza. Long lines formed across the West Bank and Gaza as Palestinians -- given a real choice for the first time -- were eager to cast their ballots for 132 parliament seats. In all, about 1.3 million voters were eligible to cast ballots and a turnout of 80 percent was expected.
Two young Palestinian boys hold flags supporting the Fatah party in Gaza City on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2006. One of the young boys is 10 years old and is named Djijad, which means holy war in Arabic.
Election observers sit at a polling station in Gaza City on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2006, where Palestinians were voting on a new parliament for the first time in a decade.
As Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas appears on TV on election day, a peace pigeon flew inside a home in Gaza City on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2006. Abbas said he is ready to resume peace talks with Israel, even if Hamas joins his government after the vote.
A Palestinian casts a vote early on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2006, in Gaza City. It's the first parliament election in a decade -- a historic vote integrating Islamic militants into Palestinian politics and determining the future of peacemaking with Israel.