Continuing his address, Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas has said that Hamas will have no role in governing the Palestinians and condemned the armed group’s October 7, 2023 attack against Israel.

“Hamas will not have a role to play in governance. Hamas and other factions will have to hand over their weapons to the Palestinian National Authority,” Abbas stated.

“Despite all that our people have suffered, we reject what Hamas carried out on October 7 — actions that targeted Israeli civilians and took them hostages — because these actions do not represent the Palestinian people, nor do they represent their just struggle for freedom and independence.”

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