Hours after the President of the Palestinian National Authority Mahmoud Abbas criticised Hamas for its terror attack on Israel, its official news agency WAFA (Wikalat al-Anba al-Filastinija) removed all references to his remarks about the Islamist terror outfit on Sunday (October 15).
During a telephonic conversation with his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro, Abbas said that Hamas does not represent the Palestinians and that the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) is the sole representative of the Palestinian people.
He also condemned the killing of civilians on both sides and demanded the release of prisoners and detainees.
“The president also stressed that Hamas’ policies and actions do not represent the Palestinian people, and the policies, programs and decisions of the (Palestine Liberation Organization) represent the Palestinian people as their sole legitimate representative,” WAFA had originally reported.
However, within a few hours, the official news agency of the Palestinian National Authority removed references to Hamas.
The original report was tweaked to read,The president also stressed that the policies, programs, and decisions of the PLO represent the Palestinian people as their sole legitimate representative, and not the policies of any other organization.”
WAFA did not provide any explanation for its decision. The Palestinian National Authority was established in 1994 and is a self-governing body in the West Bank region. Its President Mahmoud Abbas has been opposed to Hamas since the terror outfit took control of Gazal in 2007.
Israel-Hamas War
On 7th October, hundreds of Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israel through various means, overwhelming the Iron Dome with 5,000 rockets in a few minutes. They also abducted hostages and took them to Gaza.
In a counterattack on Hamas by Israeli forces, more than 1,500 Hamas terrorists have been reportedly killed amid the Israel-Hamas war. While hunting for the Hamas terrorists, IDF said it had been actively looking for the hostages.
The death toll in Israel from the Hamas attack has now surpassed 1,300, with over 3,300 injured, primarily civilians. Israel launched a major offensive against Hamas in Gaza, restricting power and water supply and blocking essential goods from entering the region.
Meanwhile, India has launched Operation Ajay and evacuated 918 Indian nationals from Israel.