Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas on Wednesday called on Hamas to release all hostages held in Gaza, stating their captivity provides Israel with “excuses” to continue its attacks.
His plea came as Israeli strikes killed at least 25 people across the besieged territory. Germany, France, and Britain have also urged Israel to end its aid blockade of Gaza.
The Israeli military campaign in Gaza resumed on March 18th after a ceasefire that had facilitated the release of 33 hostages in exchange for around 1,800 Palestinian prisoners.
Renewed ceasefire negotiations in Cairo, involving a Hamas delegation and Egyptian and Qatari mediators, have so far yielded no results.
Speaking from Ramallah, Abbas asserted that “Hamas has given the criminal occupation excuses to commit its crimes in the Gaza Strip, the most prominent being the holding of hostages.”
He directly appealed to Hamas, saying, “My brother, just hand them over,” and lamenting the daily loss of life.
Using strong language, Abbas added, “You sons of dogs, hand over what you have and get us out of this ordeal.”
A senior Hamas official, Bassem Naim, denounced Abbas’s remarks as “insulting,” accusing him of blaming Palestinians for Israel’s actions.
Deep divisions have persisted between Abbas’s Fatah party and Hamas for nearly two decades, with each side frequently accusing the other of undermining Palestinian interests.
