Abbas signals new Gaza era without Hamas control

September 27, 2025

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly virtually from Ramallah after the United States denied him a delegation visa, Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza as a “war crime” and rejected any suggestion that Palestinians should abandon their land.

His speech sought to set out the Palestinian Authority’s position on Gaza, the role of Hamas, and the future of Palestinian governance. Abbas opened by thanking nations that have recognised the state of Palestine and recalled that his authority had accepted Israel’s right to exist in 1988 and 1993. He said the Palestinian people would not be driven from their land, declaring that the suffering endured under the Gaza offensive “will not break our will to survive” and asserting plainly, “Palestine is ours.” While condemning Israeli operations in Gaza, Abbas also denounced the October 7 attack by Hamas in southern Israel. He said those actions did not represent the Palestinian people and made a point of distancing the Palestinian Authority from Hamas’s tactics.

Abbas said the PA was prepared to assume responsibility for Gaza after the war and indicated that Hamas should have no role in governing the enclave going forward. He urged Hamas to lay down its arms, adding, “We reiterate that we do not want an armed state.” Abbas described Israel’s conduct in Gaza as tantamount to genocide, a charge that underlined the sharpness of his condemnation and framed his call for international assistance and solidarity. He used his address to press for sustained diplomatic support while reiterating the Palestinian commitment to remain on their land and rebuild. Israeli officials responded swiftly. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar dismissed Abbas’s remarks as empty rhetoric intended to placate international audiences, writing on social media that “Israel cannot be deceived again.”

The office of the Israeli prime minister said the statements did not bind Israel and asserted, “There will be no Palestinian state.” Abbas’s virtual delivery was a consequence of the United States refusing a delegation visa, a decision that prevented his physical presence in New York. The visa denial and the choice to address the assembly from Ramallah highlighted diplomatic friction surrounding his participation at the UN session.

A contested political figure at home, Abbas has served as Palestinian Authority president since 2005 despite being elected for a four-year term. Observers note that he has repeatedly delayed elections that might unsettle his position, concentrating authority in the presidency, sidelining rivals and allowing security forces to act against critics. Those domestic dynamics frame the authority Abbas speaks from and inform international assessments of his capacity to implement the governance changes he proposed for Gaza. Abbas’s UN address combined denunciation of Israeli military action with an insistence on Palestinian permanence and selfgovernance.

He sought to reposition the Palestinian Authority as the future administrator of Gaza while calling on Hamas to disarm. Israel’s categorical rejection of his claims and the broader diplomatic responses signal that his appeal will face substantial resistance as international actors weigh competing security and political priorities. Abbas’s address to the United Nations underscored the deepening diplomatic divide over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and highlighted the challenges the Palestinian Authority faces in asserting its influence. By articulating a vision of Palestinian governance in Gaza while distancing the PA from Hamas, Abbas aimed to signal readiness for international engagement and administration of the territory. However, his ability to translate rhetoric into practical authority remains uncertain given both domestic political constraints and the firm opposition from Israel