Abbas urges ‘immediate end to aggression’ against Palestinians

Zionist entity prepares ‘ground assault’ on Gaza 

RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories: Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas called Thursday for “an immediate end to the comprehensive aggression against the Palestinian people”, his office said following a meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah II. In his first public remarks since a massive Hamas onslaught on southern Zionist entity communities early Saturday that spiraled into deadly war, Abbas rejected “practices related to killing civilians or abusing them on both sides”, according to a statement.

The two leaders met in Amman and discussed “ways to stop the Zionist entity aggression against the Palestinian people and deliver aid and relief” to Hamas-controlled Gaza, the statement said. The targeting of civilians by both Zionist entity forces and Palestinian fighters “contravenes morals, religion and international law”, Abbas said. According to the statement, he stressed Palestinians “renounce violence and adhere to international legitimacy, peaceful popular resistance, and political action as a path to achieving our national goals”.

Abbas also “warned of the danger of the only power plant in the Gaza Strip stopping working due to running out of fuel” and urged action to secure the supply of electricity and water as well as “opening urgent humanitarian corridors”. With dozens of Zionists and security personnel believed to be held captive in Gaza and Palestinian militants captured by Zionist entity , Abbas called “for the release of civilians, prisoners and detainees”. The Palestinian Authority which Abbas heads is based in the occupied West Bank, while his Islamist rival Hamas controls the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, the Zionist army said Thursday it was preparing for a ground assault on Hamas fighters in the Gaza Strip but that the country’s political leaders had not yet taken a decision. It said the military’s campaign against the Islamists was also aimed at “taking out” the group’s senior leadership including top government officials. “We are waiting to see what our political leadership decides about a potential ground” incursion, army spokesman Richard Hecht told journalists. “This has not been decided yet… But we are preparing for a ground maneuver if it is decided.”

The army has deployed tens of thousands of troops to the border with the Gaza Strip as it continues a withering air campaign it says targets Hamas infrastructure, commanders and operating centers in the enclave. The air strikes came in response to a surprise air, land and sea assault on Saturday by Hamas fighters that left more than 1,200 people killed in Zionist entity. Until now Hamas has fired more than 5,000 rockets at Zionist entity, according to the army. Zionist entity’s air campaign has also so far left at least 1,354 people dead in the Gaza Strip, according to the latest toll from the Hamas-affiliated health ministry.

“We are preparing ourselves for the next stages of war… to prepare for multiple operative contingency plans,” Hecht said. He said the possible operation “could be from the air, it could be combined from the sea (and) air”. Zionist entity’s assault is targeting senior leaders of Hamas, Hecht said, including the group’s chief in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar. –AFP