Egypt Daily News – Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas launched a harsh verbal attack on Hamas, calling them “you sons of dogs” and demanding the release of the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza and the disarmament of the militant group.
Abbas stated that the top priority is halting what he described as the “Israeli genocide” in Gaza. He noted that the hostages serve as a pretext for Israel to continue its assault on the besieged territory.
In a televised speech from Ramallah in the West Bank on Wednesday, Abbas said: “You sons of dogs, release the hostages you’re holding… Cut off their excuses.” Israel has denied accusations of genocide, claiming its war in Gaza is an act of self-defense targeting Hamas.
The remarks mark what may be Abbas’s strongest public criticism of Hamas to date, signaling a major shift in tone from the Palestinian Authority leader. They come amid renewed efforts to push forward ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, with Egypt also recently proposing the disarmament of the group.
While Abbas had previously refrained from directly criticizing Hamas’s attacks on October 7, in this speech he condemned the group’s actions and reiterated his general opposition to attacks on civilians.
In outlining his vision, Abbas called for the creation of a Palestinian state and an end to the war in Gaza. He renewed calls for uniting Palestinian political factions under the umbrella of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).
He also demanded the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
In his speech, Abbas said: “Hamas must end its control over Gaza, hand over all governance to the Palestinian Authority, renounce the use of weapons, and transform into a political party operating under the laws of the Palestinian state and in line with international legitimacy.”
He accused Hamas of having caused “severe damage to the Palestinian cause” since taking control of the Strip in 2007.
Abbas said: “Hamas has, knowingly or unknowingly, provided dangerous free services to the occupation, allowing this criminal occupation to find easy justifications for its conspiracies and crimes in Gaza—chief among them the issue of hostages.”
In response, Hamas rejected Abbas’s claims, questioned his competence, and said in a statement that he “continues, time and again, to wrongly place blame for the crimes of the occupation and the ongoing aggression against our Palestinian people.”
Abbas also called on the international community to enforce previous UN Security Council resolutions and to convene an international peace conference.
