RAMALLAH, Jul 21 (DNA): Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has launched a major international campaign urging world leaders and organizations to intervene immediately and stop what he described as the “deliberate starvation” of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
In letters sent to global leaders and international bodies, President Abbas warned that Israel’s ongoing blockade and military actions in Gaza amount to war crimes, including genocide, destruction and the use of starvation as a weapon against civilians.
“We reach out to you at a critical and painful moment,” Abbas wrote, highlighting that these actions by Israeli forces are undermining peace efforts and crushing hopes for a two-state solution. He accused Israel of tightening pressure on Palestinians and working to prevent the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
Abbas called for an immediate and lasting ceasefire, the release of all hostages and detainees, and the urgent entry of food and medical aid into Gaza. He demanded the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the area, and emphasized the need for a political process under international oversight that would lead to a comprehensive peace based on UN resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.
“The most urgent matter now is to stop the genocide in Gaza,” Abbas stated. “People are being killed in front of aid centers. Children, women, and the elderly are dying from hunger. This cannot be ignored. We need immediate global pressure on Israel to allow the entry of food and medicine.”
He also raised concerns about the financial crisis facing the Palestinian Authority due to Israel’s withholding of over \$2 billion in Palestinian tax funds. He said the economic blockade is crippling the Authority’s ability to serve its people and called for the urgent release of these funds.
Abbas urged the international community to take strong steps to stop settler violence, protect holy sites in Jerusalem, Hebron, Taybeh, and Gaza, and prevent the annexation of Palestinian land in the West Bank.
“The world must act now to stop this genocide and lift the siege. The situation is grave, and we need urgent help to save lives and restore stability,” he said.
