PA President Abbas condemns Israeli operations in Gaza, blasts Hamas-linked gangs for looting aid

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday repeated his previous condemnation of Israeli military operations against Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip. However, more surprisingly, Abbas also blasted Hamas-linked gangs for stealing international aid entering the coastal enclave.

The Palestinian Authority's official news agency WAFA reported that Abbas “expressed his categorical rejection and firm condemnation of the looting and theft carried out by criminal gangs targeting warehouses and storage facilities of humanitarian aid designated for the people of Gaza.”

WAFA stressed that the Palestinian Authority (PA) in Ramallah “held Hamas-affiliated gangs primarily responsible, emphasizing that the Palestinian people will not forgive these disgraceful acts committed in such a critical time, especially in the besieged Strip.”

Abbas also urged Hamas to put down its arms and let the PA administer post-war Gaza.

“Hamas must hand over Gaza responsibilities and hand over its arms to the responsibility to Palestinian Authority and transform into a political party,” Abbas stated.

The Iran-backed Hamas terrorist organization, which openly calls for Israel’s destruction, has so far refused to disarm.

Although Abbas’ Fatah party is a political rival of Hamas, he had, until recently, avoided publicly condemning the group likely due to Hamas’ widespread popularity among the Arabic-speaking population in the PA-administered areas of Judea and Samaria (West Bank).

However, last month Abbas publicly blasted Hamas as “sons of dogs,” accusing the terror group of provoking IDF operations in Gaza through its refusal to release the remaining hostages

“The first priority is to stop the war of extermination in Gaza. It must be stopped – hundreds are being killed every day,” Abbas argued last month in a public speech. He urged Hamas to “release those you’re holding and put an end to this story. Shut down their excuses. End it.”

“Why don’t you hand over the American hostages?” Abbas added.

Hamas massacred 1,200 Israelis during its attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The terror group also kidnapped 251 individuals, with 59 still held captive in Gaza – alive and deceased.

On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he believed that fewer than 24 of the remaining hostages are still alive as a result of the harsh living conditions in dark and damp subterranean tunnels.

"Out of 59 hostages, 24 are alive – but my understanding now is that that number is even smaller," Trump said. He also addressed the fate of the last surviving Israeli American hostage, Edan Alexander.

"We don't know how he's doing...We think we know. And hopefully positive," Trump admitted. "Two months ago, we were pretty sure it looked like he was getting out, but they've toughened up a little bit and it's a terrible thing." 

In 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew its forces and evacuated Israeli communities from Gaza. Some observers hoped the region would develop and there was hope for peace. However, after Hamas won legislative elections in 2006 and took full control in 2007 following a violent conflict with Fatah, it began launching rocket attacks into Israel. Since then, Hamas has governed Gaza, channeling significant aid from international sources into military infrastructure.