In a solemn call for unity, Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas’s Fatah movement urged the Hamas militant movement to relinquish its goals of ruling the war-torn Gaza Strip. The call is for the sake of maintaining the very Palestinian presence therein.
Fatah official Monther Al-Hayek emphasized sympathy for the Gaza people—its men, children, and women. He cautioned that if Hamas stays in power, the present war could be catastrophic for Palestinians. “Hamas must have mercy on Gaza,” he reiterated, highlighting the urgency of the situation.
This call is after a “national unity” agreement inked by both parties last year in China, which was meant to create an interim national reconciliation government of post-war Gaza. The two factions have been sworn enemies since Hamas took over in 2006 after a battle with Fatah.
Fatah currently leads the Palestinian Authority, which has limited administrative control of the West Bank under occupation and advocates for peaceful negotiations for a Palestinian state.
The call for Hamas to step down is made as Israeli military activity in Gaza increases. Following the resumption of hostilities earlier this week, Hamas’s ministry of health stated that 504 individuals have been killed since the resumption of the offensive.
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened to annex portions of Gaza if Hamas releases additional Israeli hostages, stating, “I ordered the IDF to take more territory in Gaza.” He warned that Hamas’s failure to comply would result in losing more land to Israel.
The Israeli attack has also exacerbated the medical conditions in Gaza, with reports terming the situation as catastrophic. Australian physician Mohammed Mustafa, who is on the ground, referred to the dire shortage of medicine and medical equipment. “We have little to no medicine, little to no antibiotics left,” he lamented. “We are very short on everything, from medical equipment to even basic things like blood pressure cuffs and oxygen cylinders.”
The fuel shortage in Gaza has further complicated medical efforts, hindering the transport of patients between hospitals. Tragically, some patients are succumbing to their injuries before receiving adequate care.
