Abbas urges UN to intervene and stop Gaza conflict

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday to intervene and halt the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas militants. He emphasized that Israel has nearly obliterated Gaza, rendering it uninhabitable.

“This insanity must end. The entire world bears responsibility for the plight of our people,” he stated to the assembly of 193 member nations.

The conflict erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants attacked Israeli communities, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities and around 250 hostages taken to Gaza, as reported by Israeli sources.

In the aftermath, Israel’s military operations have devastated large areas of the already besieged Palestinian territory, displacing nearly all of its 2.3 million residents and leading to severe food shortages and disease, with Palestinian health authorities reporting over 41,000 deaths.

Efforts by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt to negotiate a ceasefire and secure the release of hostages held by Hamas have so far been unsuccessful.

Abbas advocated for a thorough and lasting ceasefire in Gaza, the cessation of assaults by Israeli settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, the provision of humanitarian assistance across Gaza, and a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the region.

“We reject the creation of buffer zones or any territorial concessions from Gaza,” he asserted. “We will not permit even a single centimeter of Gaza to be taken.”

“The State of Palestine must fulfill its responsibilities in the Gaza Strip and exert its full authority and jurisdiction there, including over the border crossings, particularly the Rafah international border,” Abbas emphasized.

He stated that the Palestinian Authority, which he leads, should maintain control over all Palestinian territories and would conduct elections once the conflict concludes.

In response to Abbas’ address, Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon issued a statement accusing him of advocating for peace only at the United Nations while neglecting to condemn the October 7 attack by Hamas militants that initiated the conflict in Gaza.