Palestinian Authority condemns Hamas for using Gazan civilians 'as human shields'

The Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Hamas terrorist organization traded barbs on Saturday amid growing tensions between the rival organizations. The Fatah party, which controls the PA, condemned Hamas for using Gazan civilians "as human shields instead of protecting them and their homes," confirming Israel’s long-held position.

Fatah leaders vowed they would "not allow Hamas, which has jeopardized the interests and resources of the Palestinian people in favor of Iran and caused the destruction of Gaza, to reproduce its activities in the West Bank."

The Iranian-backed proxy Hamas has repeatedly attempted to undermine Fatah and the PA in Judea and Samaria (internationally known as the West Bank) by carrying out terrorist attacks against Israelis. 

Fatah emphasized that Hamas was responsible for the “catastrophic” humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, and stated it is "characterized by the spread of hunger, poverty, and deprivation of basic humanitarian needs."

Fatah further remarked, "Hamas should not be allowed to reproduce such reckless actions in the West Bank." 

The PA also blasted the Iranian regime for its role in the Gaza War:

"Iran's expansionist ambitions to turn Palestine into an area of influence, even at the cost of the blood of Palestinian children."

In June 2023, just months before the Oct. 7, 2023 massacre in southern Israel, the PA had warned that Iran had already established a presence in Judea and Samaria and through its support of Hamas and local terror cells. 

“Iran is already here, in the West Bank,” a PA official stated at the time. “The Iranians want their Palestinian agents to extend their control from the Gaza Strip to the West Bank.”

Meanwhile, Hamas leader Abdul Rahman Shadid accused the PA of trying to “assassinate” its members during clashes between PA forces and local Hamas operatives in the Tulkarm area in Samaria. 

"What happened in Tulkarm Governorate, where the [Palestinian] Authority's security forces directly shot at a resistance vehicle in an attempt to kill them, for the second time in a few days, confirms that officials in the Authority issued instructions to liquidate and kill resistance fighters in the West Bank," Rahman said in a statement posted on Hamas’ official Telegram channel. 

Shadid said the PA is "increasingly willing to shed Palestinian blood, as evidenced by the events in Jenin refugee camp over the past 38 days, during which nine Palestinians, including women and children, have been killed."

Qatari-based news outlet Al Jazeera, which supports Hamas, reported early last week that PA forces fired on three Hamas terrorists in a vehicle close to the city of Tulkarm. One of the terrorists was reportedly in a critical condition. 

Hamas has accused the PA of killing 19 “martyrs” since the start of the "Battle of the Flood of Al-Aqsa," which is the official Hamas name for the Oct. 7 massacre. The Hamas term “martyrs” refers to terrorists who are killed during operations.

Hamas and its ally Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) have both tried to establish a solid presence in northern Samaria, especially in the restive town of Jenin, which has become a major terror hub.

The PA recently stepped up its security in the area. Hamas and the PIJ have responded by accusing the PA of the "persecution of resistance fighters."

"The actions of the PA security forces constitute a national and moral crime and a violation of the sanctity of Palestinian blood. This necessitates a broad national movement to put an end to the killings, displacement, and destruction occurring in the West Bank," the PIJ said in an official statement.