Abbas vows to visit Gaza in Turkish Parliament

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced his intention to visit Gaza, despite the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, during a speech at the Turkish parliament on Thursday. Abbas, who has not been to Gaza since the Hamas takeover in 2007, stated that he would travel to the Hamas-controlled territory “even if this would cost my life.”

The declaration came as Gaza’s death toll surpassed 40,000, according to health ministry officials in the Hamas-run enclave. Abbas, based in Ramallah, made his pledge while speaking to Turkish lawmakers, receiving applause for his remarks.

“I have decided to go to Gaza with other brothers from the Palestinian leadership,” Abbas said in Arabic, with his remarks translated into Turkish. He emphasized that the lives of Palestinian leaders were not more valuable than the lives of children in Gaza, stressing unity among Palestinians.

Abbas’s speech was delivered during a tense moment in the 10-month-long Israel-Hamas war, which shows no signs of abating. Efforts to broker a ceasefire have been unsuccessful, while Israel remains on high alert for potential retaliatory attacks from Iran and its proxies following the targeted killings of senior Hamas officials in both Iran and Lebanon.

A tribute to slain Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh was visible in the Turkish parliament as Abbas spoke. A framed picture of Haniyeh, adorned with red carnations, was placed prominently in the chamber. Abbas offered prayers in his honor, marking a somber moment in the address.

In his address, Abbas lauded Erdogan’s “courageous” position and condemned the international community’s inaction in response to the war. “There cannot be a Palestinian state without Gaza. Our people will not surrender,” Abbas declared, reaffirming his commitment to Palestinian unity.

Abbas added a visit to Türkiye after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow earlier this week. The Palestinian leader underscored that Gaza belongs to all Palestinians and rejected any solution that would divide the territories.