Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, addressed the nation in a gripping live broadcast from Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. He labeled Hamas a “sons of dogs” and called for the freedom of Israeli captives taken into Gaza. Abbas’s comments come amid the ever-expanding violence perpetuated by the Israeli military in the region. He stresses that the most urgent task today is to disarm Hamas, Fatah and create a single Palestinian political front.
In the course of his address, Abbas repeatedly highlighted the immediate imperative of freeing Israeli hostages. It was intentional, he emphasized, to keep these people hostage so that Israel can legitimize its military actions continuing in Gaza. He asserted that the hostages have become a pretext for what he described as “the Israeli genocide that the Gaza Strip is being subjected to.”
Abbas went on to outline three major priorities. He subsequently called for a total withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, as well as the disarmament of Hamas and cessation of all attacks and hostilities in the area. He rightly condemned Hamas for its tyrannical rule over Gazans since taking power in the region in 2007. He contended that their leadership has done great harm to the Palestinian cause.
“Sons of dogs, release the hostages and block their justifications.” – Mahmoud Abbas
Abbas appealed for national unity and announced that Hamas should surrender its government of Gaza. He hopes that they will help him restore governance back to the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the recognized Palestinian National Authority. He argued that Hamas must turn itself into a political organization functioning within Palestinian laws and respect international legitimacy.
Abbas’s ire did not stop at Hamas’s contribution to the conflict, accusing the group of helping Israel escalate its military campaign. He stated, “It has provided the occupation (Israel) with dangerous free services, whether intentionally or unintentionally, and allowed this criminal occupation to find free justifications for executing its conspiracies and crimes in the Gaza Strip, with one of the most prominent excuses being hostage-taking.”
The president of the Palestinian Authority condemned the violence and called for an end to violence … again. He called on the international community to convene a peace conference to establish terms of peace. He called for the implementation of past United Nations Security Resolutions to facilitate a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict.
In a significant move towards reconciliation, Abbas and Hamas signed an agreement in 2024 aimed at “ending division and strengthening Palestinian unity” during discussions held in Beijing. Yet in spite of this compromise, hostility is still palpable between the two groups.
Abbas has never missed an opportunity to avoid outright condemnation of the October 7 murder spree against Israel. Nonetheless, he’s rightly condemned Hamas for its part in stoking tensions since that day. He followed this up with a condemnation of attacks on civilians, but then took the rare step of calling for peace and stability between Palestinian territories themselves.
“Hamas must end its control over the Gaza Strip, hand over all its affairs to the Palestine Liberation Organization and the legitimate Palestinian National Authority, and refrain from carrying arms, transforming into a political party that operates according to the laws of the Palestinian state and adheres to international legitimacy.” – Mahmoud Abbas
In response to Abbas’s comments, Hamas issued a statement condemning him for transferring onus for continued violence to the Palestinian populace. The delegation felt these types of statements weaken the ability of all Palestinians to stand together against outside threats.
