RAMALLAH, May 21, 2025 (WAFA) – President Mahmoud Abbas of the State of Palestine issued an urgent appeal to world leaders regarding the catastrophic and tragic situation in the Gaza Strip.

The President said: "I call on world leaders to take urgent and decisive measures to break the siege on our people in the Gaza Strip, allow the entry of humanitarian and medical aid by land, sea, and air, immediately and permanently halt this aggression, release all detainees and prisoners, ensure a full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and ensure the State of Palestine assumes its full responsibility."

"It is no longer possible to remain silent in the face of the crimes of genocide, destruction, and starvation perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces," the President noted.

"From my position as President of the State of Palestine, of which the Gaza Strip constitutes an integral part, I call on us all to possess the courage required to accomplish this task, which is second to no other task at this historic moment. We are hopeful for success in this noble endeavor."

President Abbas added that "this will be a key moment for moving toward reconstruction, halting settlement activity and attacks on our people and holy sites in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and moving toward implementing the two-state solution in accordance with international law, by ending the occupation and establishing the independence of the State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital."

"In this regard, we look forward to the international peace conference in New York next month to implement the two-state solution in accordance with international law and mobilize efforts to achieve further international recognition and full membership for the State of Palestine at the United Nations," President Abbas said.

"In this context, we reiterate our welcome for the joint statement issued by the leaders of Britain, France, and Canada, as well as for the positions of the European Union countries, the joint statement of the donor countries, and the statement of the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee on this matter. They all rejected the policies of blockade, starvation, displacement, and land seizure. They called for an immediate ceasefire and the immediate and unhindered entry of humanitarian aid through the United Nations and UNRWA, ensuring its access to all areas in Gaza. They also rejected Israel's use of aid as a weapon and political tool to achieve its illegitimate goals, and moved toward recognizing the State of Palestine."

"We extend our thanks. Our sincere gratitude to all countries and peoples calling for an end to the war of extermination and the delivery of aid to our people," President Abbas added.

"This appeal represents a call from the State of Palestine, the sovereign state of the Gaza Strip, to allow aid to be delivered through our land, sea, and airspace. We express our full readiness to cooperate with any party willing to take practical steps to end the suffering of our people, break the siege, halt the aggression, and support the Arab-Islamic plan to rebuild Gaza without displacing our people."

The President said that "this is a crucial historical moment that requires unprecedented courageous positions and the concerted efforts of Arab, Islamic, and international efforts to uphold Palestinian rights, ensure respect for international law, implement international legitimacy resolutions, end aggression and colonialism, achieve independence, and establish peace."

"It is time, world, to end the war of extermination against the Palestinian people. I reiterate that we will not leave, and we will remain here on the land of our homeland, Palestine," President Abbas concluded.

K.T