Palestinian president slams Hamas as 'sons of dogs', urges hostage release

Palestinian President Abbas demands release of Israeli hostages, disarmament, and Gaza handover to Palestinian Authority amid deepening factional rift

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Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has launched his strongest condemnation yet of the terrorist group Hamas, demanding the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza and calling for the militant group’s disarmament, reported CNN.

 

In a televised address from Ramallah on Wednesday, Abbas referred to Hamas fighters as “sons of dogs”, blaming the group for prolonging the war in Gaza by giving Israel an excuse to continue its offensive.

 

“Sons of dogs, release the hostages and block their justifications,” Abbas said, adding that Israel’s military campaign has turned into what he called “the Israeli genocide that the Gaza Strip is being subjected to”.

 

While Israel denies genocide allegations, asserting its actions target Hamas in self-defence, Abbas’s remarks reflects a growing rift among Palestinian factions and a shift in his stance toward Hamas. 

 

A shift in rhetoric 

Though Abbas has previously criticised Hamas, Wednesday’s comments represent his most scathing public attack on the group till date. The timing coincides with renewed ceasefire efforts involving regional powers like Egypt, which has also floated the idea of disarming Hamas.

 

Despite not condemning Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel outright, Abbas has consistently opposed violence against civilians and reiterated his call for the creation of an independent Palestinian state.

 

He also called on the Hamas to relinquish control over Gaza and hand over governance to the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority, transforming itself into a political party that respects the laws of a future Palestinian state.

 

“Hamas must end its control over the Gaza Strip, hand over all its affairs to the Palestine Liberation Organization and the legitimate Palestinian National Authority, and refrain from carrying arms,” Abbas said, urging the group to operate within the framework of “international legitimacy.” 

 

Hamas pushback 

Hamas swiftly responded, rejecting Abbas’s remarks and questioning his leadership. In a statement, the group accused Abbas of “placing the responsibility for the crimes of the occupation and its ongoing aggression on our Palestinian people”, calling his accusations ‘suspicious’. 

The longstanding animosity between Fatah and Hamas—Palestine’s two dominant political factions—has derailed multiple reconciliation attempts over the years. The Palestinian Authority, led by Fatah, governed Gaza until 2007, when Hamas seized power following its victory in the 2006 elections.

 

Despite various agreements, including one signed in Cairo in 2017 and another in Beijing last year involving 14 Palestinian factions, efforts to unify Gaza and the West Bank under a single Palestinian government have repeatedly collapsed.

 

‘Severe damage to the Palestinian cause’ 

Abbas didn’t hold back in blaming Hamas for undermining the broader Palestinian struggle for independence. “It has provided the occupation (Israel) with dangerous free services, whether intentionally or unintentionally,” Abbas said. “Hostage-taking gave the criminal occupation one of its most prominent excuses to carry out its conspiracies and crimes in Gaza.”

 

The 88-year-old leader also reiterated his call for an international peace conference and the enforcement of past United Nations Security Council resolutions aimed at resolving the conflict.

 

(With agency inputs)