Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, on Thursday, September 26, urged the United Nations General Assembly to take action to stop the ongoing war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas militants.
He emphasized that Gaza has been almost completely destroyed and is no longer livable due to the conflict.
“This madness cannot continue. The entire world is responsible for what is happening to our people,” Abbas said, addressing the 193-member assembly.
The conflict, which began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants launched an attack on Israeli communities, has led to extensive violence. Over 1,200 Israelis were killed and around 250 hostages were taken to Gaza, according to Israeli reports.
Since then, Israeli military strikes on Gaza have resulted in the displacement of nearly all of its 2.3 million residents, with over 41,000 Palestinians reported dead, as stated by Palestinian health authorities.
Abbas called for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza, the cessation of attacks by Israeli settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, unhindered humanitarian aid delivery, and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. He firmly rejected the creation of buffer zones or any territorial division of Gaza, asserting that “not a single centimetre of Gaza” should be taken.
He further stated that the Palestinian Authority should assume its responsibilities in Gaza, particularly over the border crossings, including the Rafah crossing.
Abbas also expressed his intent for the Palestinian Authority to have control over all Palestinian territories, with plans to hold elections once the conflict ends.
In response, Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon criticized Abbas, accusing him of speaking about peace at the U.N. while refusing to condemn Hamas’ October 7 attack, which ignited the current war in Gaza.
