Gaza Strip integral part of Palestine, says president

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has reaffirmed Gaza’s status as an integral part of Palestine and denounced Israeli actions as genocidal.

He made such remarks during his speech before the Turkish Parliament on August 15, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Abbas emphasized that Israel would not succeed in its goal of appropriating Palestinian land, asserting that Palestinians would not leave their land.

"Gaza is and will remain an inseparable part of Palestine. No other state can be established on its territory. Israel, which is committing genocide in Gaza, will not achieve its aim of stealing Palestinian land. We will not leave our land," Abbas declared. He accused the international community of inaction in the face of the Gaza tragedy, which has claimed over 40,000 lives.

Abbas expressed gratitude to Türkiye for its involvement in the case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, initiated by South Africa. "We welcome Türkiye’s participation in the lawsuit. Türkiye has ceased $10 billion worth of trade with Israel to support Palestine. We thank the Turkish people for their sincere support for Palestinians," Abbas said.

He also praised the positions of Egypt and Jordan regarding Gaza, noting that their stances align with Palestine’s. Abbas assured that Palestinians would achieve the creation of an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital, regardless of the cost or time required. "We will achieve our goal, no matter the price or how long it takes. The perpetrators of these crimes will not escape justice; there is no statute of limitations for war crimes," he emphasized.

Abbas's speech was met with repeated applause from Turkish parliamentarians, many of whom donned "Arafat" scarves in solidarity with Palestine. Prior to his visit to Türkiye, Abbas had travelled to Russia, where he held discussions with President Vladimir Putin.