Abbas points finger at Hamas
Photo: AP
Abbas: Hamas to blame for Gaza blast
In unusually scathing attack, Palestinian leader openly criticizes terror group after explosion during Friday rally kills 19 people. Abbas calls on Hamas to put an end to military parades in residential areas
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday blamed Hamas for a deadly rally in Gaza and said the group put civilians at risk by parading with weapons in crowded neighborhoods.
Abbas’ speech, broadcast on Palestinian radio, marked one of his harshest attacks yet on his main political rival. However, he also appeared to be appeasing Hamas, saying parliamentary elections would go ahead in January, as planned, and that he would not let outsiders dictate who can participate.
He was referring to Israel’s recent demand that Hamas be kept out of the election. Hamas is expected to make a strong showing in the contest, and has an interest in seeing elections held on time.
Abbas spoke to several thousand supporters in the West Bank town of Ramallah on Saturday, a day after at least 19 Palestinians were killed in an explosion at a Hamas rally in Gaza’s Jebaliya refugee camp. Hamas blamed Israel, but Palestinian security officials held Hamas responsible, saying Hamas members apparently mishandled weapons.
Abbas 'dumbfounded, pained and shocked'
Following the blast, Hamas fired rockets on Israeli communities in the south. On Saturday, the IDF killed four Hamas members in a Gaza air strike.
Addressing the latest escalation in Gaza, Abbas said he was deeply concerned.
“I greet you today in these moments of sadness and anger that spoiled our happiness and joy over the departure of the Israeli settlers and soldiers,” he told supporters.
He said he was “dumbfounded, pained and shocked” by the casualties at the Hamas rally.
“What happened yesterday is what we always feared would happen, and what we always warned against,” he said, referring to repeated appeals to gunmen not to flaunt their weapons in public. “Today, we are required more than ever to end this tragedy that resulted from chaos and military parades in residential areas,” he said.
