Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) claimed that "Israel seeks to completely destroy Palestine."
In an interview with the Al-Arabiya network, Abbas accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of being determined to continue what he called a "war of annihilation" and of remaining in office in order to avoid legal proceedings. He further alleged that severe hunger prevails in Gaza, claiming that the number of deaths from starvation now exceeds those killed in the war.
At the same time, Abbas praised Jordan and Egypt for opposing what he described as the "expulsion" of Palestinians from Gaza and from Judea and Samaria.
Regarding "the day after," Abbas said that the Palestinian Authority is prepared to assume control of the Gaza Strip, and would not object to Arab or international partnership in managing the territory.
He insisted that Hamas must recognize the PLO as the sole representative of the Palestinian Arabs, accept its fundamental positions, and agree to the principle of one Palestinian state without independent armed militias. According to him, the Palestinian Authority is engaged in diplomatic activity to bring about an end to the war in Gaza and is working internationally to obtain full UN membership for a Palestinian state.
Abbas also claimed that Netanyahu opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state, adding that Israelis now regret recognizing the PLO as the representative of the Palestinian people. He emphasized that the Oslo Accords did not include Palestinian concessions to Israel, and noted that since the agreement, 1.8 million Palestinians have returned to what he termed their homeland.