Palestine president urges Hamas to hasten Gaza deal amid cease-fire talks

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas calls on Hamas to hasten negotiations for a Gaza agreement to prevent potential dire consequences as cease-fire discussions continue

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas urged Hamas on Wednesday to swiftly reach an agreement on Gaza to avert potential dire consequences, as reported by the official Palestinian news agency Wafa.

“We urge the Hamas movement to promptly finalize a prisoner deal to spare our Palestinian people from the calamity of another catastrophic event with consequences as severe as those of the Nakba in 1948,” Abbas stated.

Although the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority led by Abbas has not participated in this week’s negotiations facilitated by Egypt aimed at brokering a cease-fire over four months of conflict, it remains seated in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. 

While the U.S. expresses support for a Palestinian state, it also calls for leadership reforms. U.S. Foreign Minister Antony Blinken stated last month that Abbas is committed to reforming the Palestinian Authority to enable it to effectively govern Gaza, aiming for the reunification of Gaza and the West Bank under Palestinian leadership.

Since 2007, Gaza has been under the separate administration of Hamas following the expulsion of Abbas loyalists from the territory.

Source: Newsroom

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