Palestinian president denounces October 7th attack, at UN General Assembly

The Palestinian president, speaking over video after the United States revoked his visa, told world leaders Thursday that his people “reject” the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and pledged that the militant group would have no role in governing Gaza after war ends and must hand over its weapons.

Mahmoud Abbas told the U.N. General Assembly that Palestinians in Gaza “have been facing a war of genocide, destruction, starvation and displacement” by Israel. His speech came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heads to New York to give his own address in person on Friday.

Despite laying out in gruesome detail the death and destruction in Gaza, Abbas said Palestinian authorities “reject” the action Hamas carried out on Oct. 7 and that it does not represent their people. He also laid out his vision for what government would look like in territories once the war is over, saying that the Palestinian Authority is “ready to bear full responsibility for governance and security.

He added that “Hamas will have no role to play in governance,” and will have to hand over their weapons to the Palestinian authorities. “There can be no justice if Palestine is not freed,” Abbas said. In a short but resolute speech, Abbas thanked the world leaders who have stood up for Palestinians throughout the Gaza war, saying that the recent recognition of Palestinian statehood has presented his people with hope for peace and an end to the conflict.

He welcomed the recent announcements from France, the U.K. and Canada to recognize them as an independent state and called for the remains few dozen countries to do the same. But, he added, that symbolic recognition is not enough to address the present moment.

Before concluding, he sent a message of hope to the Palestinian people, saying that no matter how long the suffering continues, “its results will not break our will to live and survive.” After Abbas’ speech at the UNGA, the attention is now turned to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he addresses the UN assembly on Friday, specifically what his case is, for why Israel has continued this ongoing two year war in Gaza.