Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas says keeping prisoners provides Israel with justification for an attack on Gaza.
Hamas condemned the remarks made by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Hamas senior Basemnaim on Thursday said Abbas’s remarks were “shaming” a day ago.
“Abbas is repeatedly responsible for the crimes of occupation and the continued attacks on our people, and there is doubt,” he said.
Abbas on Wednesday urged Hamas to release all prisoners and said he would continue to offer Israel “excuses” to attack Gaza.
“Hamas has given criminal profession excuses to commit crimes in the Gaza Strip, most notably the retention of hostages,” Abbas said at a meeting in Ramala, the PA seat on the West Bank of Israeli occupation.
“I’m the one paying the price. Our people pay the price, not Israel. My brothers just give it away.”
“There is death every day,” Abbas said. “You will hand over what you have, and take us away from this ordeal,” he added, leveling out the harsh Arabic epithet in Hamas.
Long cleft
For nearly 20 years, there has been a deep political and ideological division between Abbas’ Fatah Party and Hamas.
Abbas and the PA often accused Hamas of undermining Palestinian unity, criticizing the former for working with Israel and cracking down on West Bank opposition.
The Palestinian Mujahideen movement, which split from Abbas’ Fatah in the 2000s, issued a Telegram statement on Wednesday denounced Abbas’s remarks.
“We strongly condemn the offensive statement made by President Abbas during the Central Council meeting on Resistance and Resistance Fighters of the People, we ignore the sacrifices and struggles of our people, and ignore the suffering and ongoing sacrifices of our prisoners,” the statement read.
“We will continue our continued pursuit of this discourse, criminalize resistance and exempt the continued occupation of criminal offences against our people for decades, particularly the war of genocide over Gaza, the annexation and unity of the West Bank and Jerusalem, and the serious suffering endured by brave prisoners.”
The movement also called on Abbas to apologize for his remarks.
“We call on the President of the Palestinian authorities to apologise for this offensive speech, strengthen the division and reverse all steps that are tailored to the will of the Zionists. We call on him to return to the embrace of people and their choices and to stop pursuing the absurd path of surrender and compromise.”
Since Israel’s campaign in Gaza resumed on March 18, at least 1,928 people have been killed in Gaza, and the death toll has been reduced since the war exploded to at least 51,305 people.
So far, talks about the new ceasefire have not been fruitful, and Hamas delegation is in Cairo for new negotiations between Egyptians and Qatari intermediaries.
