Abbas to international audience: “We reject the killing of civilians on both sides”
Excerpt from PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ speech at the Cairo Peace Summit on Oct. 21, 2023. In the audience were Arab and European representatives.
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas: “We again emphasize our absolute rejection of the killing of civilians on both sides, and [call for] the release of the [Israeli] civilians and all the [Palestinian] prisoners (i.e., terrorists). We emphasize that we are committed to international legitimacy, the signed agreements, renunciation of violence, and implementation of peaceful and legal ways of realizing our national goals. This is the policy of the State of Palestine and the PLO, the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.”
[Official PA TV, Oct. 21, 2023]
Abbas gave this speech at the Cairo Peace Summit on Oct. 21, 2023 to an audience of Arab and European representatives.
Hamas war on Israel October 2023 - At least 1,200 Israelis, including over 1,000 civilians, were murdered and over 4,800 wounded, in addition to approximately 244 who were abducted into the Gaza Strip (including 110 later released or liberated and at least 26 later killed), in a Hamas terror war that began when approximately 3,000 Hamas terrorists broke through Israel's security fence at the Gaza Strip border and launched a surprise attack, taking control of several Israeli towns and attacking a music festival on the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, which fell on the Sabbath, Oct. 7, 2023. During the massacre the terrorists tortured, raped, shot, beheaded, and burned their victims alive, murdering entire families and leaving at least 21 children without parents. Hamas terrorists also fired at least 5,000 rockets at Israeli population centers. In response, Israel launched Operation Iron Swords to counter the Hamas terror threat. Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon joined Hamas' terror war starting from the following day, attacking Israel from the north. Occasional rocket launches and shootings continued from Lebanon throughout the war. A ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal began on Nov. 24, 2023, in which Israel agreed to release 150 terrorist prisoners, pause drone surveillance in the Gaza Strip, and allow movement between the northern and southern Gaza Strip, in return for 50 Israeli female and child hostages held by Hamas. The deal was subsequently extended with additional releases, until Hamas violated the agreement and resumed attacking on Dec. 1, 2023.