Palestinian President lashes out at Hamas calling them 'sons of dogs': Abbas demands release of Israeli hostages, stresses on stopping massacre in Gaza

Ramallah: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has launched a scathing attack on Hamas, calling it "sons of dogs". In a speech at the Palestinian Authority's Central Council meeting in Ramallah on Wednesday, Abbas demanded Hamas to immediately release Israeli hostages and give up arms. He called stopping Israeli massacres in the Gaza Strip a top priority and said that the hostages are giving Israel an "excuse" to attack. This statement came during the Egypt-brokered ceasefire talks between the Israel-Hamas war. #HamasAbbas and #GazaCrisis are trending on X. Let's understand this development with facts.

Abbas' anger: Why is he angry at Hamas?

According to reports by CNN and Dainik Bhaskar, Abbas said in Ramallah, "Sons of dogs, release the hostages and end the justification for Israel's attack." This is his strongest public criticism against Hamas so far. Abbas appealed to Hamas to hand over control of Gaza to the Palestinian Authority and give up arms and become a political party. He said that hundreds of people are being killed every day in Gaza, and the hostage crisis has given Israel an excuse to attack.

Abbas did not directly condemn the Hamas attack of 7 October 2023, but called on all Palestinian factions to unite under the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). There has been tension between the two since Hamas captured Gaza in 2007 by defeating Abbas's Fatah party.

Hostage Crisis and Ceasefire Status

On 7 October 2023, Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 240 hostages. Under the 19 January 2025 ceasefire agreement, Hamas has so far released 21 hostages, while Israel has freed more than 730 Palestinian prisoners. On 15 February 2025, Hamas released three hostages—Alexander Trufanov, Yair Horn, and Sagui Dekel-Chein—including people with dual citizenship.

However, 27 hostages and the remains of more than 30 remain in Gaza. Hamas has warned that Israeli attacks are putting the lives of hostages at risk. Phase two of ceasefire talks, brokered by Egypt and Qatar, are underway, but tensions remain.

Abbas' strategy and global response

Abbas' statement came after Egypt suggested that Hamas lay down its arms. Abbas said that preventing genocide in Gaza was a priority and put pressure on Hamas to release the hostages. On X @haaretzcom wrote, “Abbas demanded Hamas to give up control of Gaza and release the hostages.”

Israel rejected Abbas’s allegations of genocide and said that it was targeting Hamas in self-defense. The Israeli minister said that “not a single grain of food” would reach Gaza until the hostages were released. US President Donald Trump warned that if the hostages were not released, the ceasefire could be cancelled

Public anger in Gaza

Discontent against Hamas is growing in Gaza. According to a News18 report, hundreds of people in northern Gaza raised slogans of “Hamas terrorists” and “Hamas out”. This demonstration took place after Israeli bombing, in which 830 Palestinians were killed. Abbas’ statement is considered an attempt to capitalize on this public discontent.

Future Fears

Abbas' attack on Hamas could affect Palestinian unity. Hamas has not yet reacted to the statement, but experts believe it could complicate ceasefire talks. If Hamas does not release the hostages, Israel may intensify attacks on Gaza.

Conclusion

Mahmoud Abbas's "son of dogs" statement is a big blow to Hamas. His demand for the release of hostages and stopping the massacre in Gaza has given a new turn to the ceasefire talks. But will Hamas come under pressure, or will this tension increase further? The next few days will decide the future of the region. It remains to be seen how effective Abbas's appeal for Palestinian unity and peace will be.