Abbas Slams Hamas: “Free the Hostages, You Dogs”

Mahmoud Abbas, head of the Palestinian Authority, lashed out at Hamas, labeling its members “dogs” and demanding they release the hostages taken during their October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

Speaking to the Palestinian Authority’s Central Council, Abbas also pushed Hamas to lay down their weapons and give up control of Gaza, saying it would take away Israel’s “excuses” for the ongoing war that’s torn the region apart. Reported by Ynet and Kikar HaShabbat, his remarks show just how deep the bad blood runs between the PLO, which leads the Palestinian Authority, and Hamas, the group running Gaza.

Abbas laid into Hamas, blaming their 2007 takeover of Gaza for giving Israel a reason to hammer the territory. “That power grab in 2007 handed Israel a free pass to destroy Gaza,” he said, pointing to devastating numbers: 2,165 families completely wiped out, 6,664 partially destroyed, and over two-thirds of homes reduced to rubble. He warned that things could get even worse, potentially leading to a “new Nakba,” a mass displacement of Palestinians.

In a heated moment, Abbas turned straight to Hamas and said, “Free the hostages, you dogs.” He urged them to surrender their weapons and step away from power in Gaza, arguing it would weaken Israel’s case for continuing the fight. The war, now dragging into its second year, has killed over 51,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, and displaced 90% of its people. Hamas still holds 59 of the 251 hostages taken in 2023, with only 24 thought to be alive, stalling ceasefire talks brokered by Egypt and Qatar.

Abbas also took aim at what he called a “Trump plan” to displace Palestinians, saying Israel wants to “wipe out the Palestinian cause” through its actions in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem. He listed his main goals: getting the hostages released, ending Israel’s blockade on Gaza, stopping displacement with help from Arab countries, and keeping the “Palestinian cause” alive. He said peace in the Middle East depends on ending Israel’s occupation and building a Palestinian state.

The rivalry between the PLO and Hamas is old news, but Abbas’s sharp words signify a new level of hostility, driven by Hamas’s refusal to let go of the hostages, which has kept the war going. A November 2023 deal saw 105 hostages swapped for 240 Palestinian prisoners, proving agreements can happen.

But Hamas’s push for a permanent end to the war before freeing more captives has hit a wall, with Israel demanding the hostages back and Hamas’s destruction. Abbas’s call for Hamas to disarm fits his goal of a single Palestinian leadership under the Palestinian Authority, though Hamas isn’t budging.