Hamas accuses Abbas of 'paving the way for chaos'
After PA president blames Hamas for failed assassination of PM Hamdallah and announces sanctions on Gaza, terror group condemns 'irresponsible comments', warns they will lead to acceptance of Trump's plan.
During a speech in Ramallah, Abbas blamed Hamas for the March 13 bomb attack on Hamdallah’s convoy in Gaza, saying it was a "despicable and sinful act."
“I have decided to take national, legal and economic steps against the Gaza Strip for the protection of the national project,” Abbas announced.
“This is an attempt to undermine the opportunity to achieve unity between Gaza and the West Bank,” Hamas claimed shortly after the speech.
“Abu Mazen is paving the way for chaos which will facilitate the approval of President Trump’s plan and Israel’s plans,” the statement added, using Abbas’s nickname.
“We condemn these irresponsible statements by the PA chairman, who has already been trying for a while to subdue our people in Gaza in this difficult and dangerous moment in history,” the statement added.
“At a time when we are making all efforts to achieve national unity, we were surprised to hear Abu Mazen’s belligerent remarks, that burn bridges and intensify rifts.”
These declarations and decisions, it continued "deviate from the reconciliation agreements," and "demand urgent involvement from all Palestinian factions and from the Palestinian people."
"We also call on regional and international players and the Arab League to urgently intervene and to stop this dangerous deterioration. They must act responsibly to prevent a disaster on the Palestinian national level caused by Abu Mazen’s policies and his decisions," it said, before demanding that Palestinians hold presidential elections.
“In light of all this, Hamas calls on the Palestinian people to hold presidential elections for the Legislative Council and the National Council in order for the people to elect its leaders,” the statement concluded.
