Palestinian president tells UN 'we will not leave our lands' and condemns Hamas attack

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has told the United Nations General Assembly "we will not leave our lands" in the face of Israeli attacks.

He told the summit that the Palestinian flag "will fly high in our skies as a symbol of dignity, steadfastness, and being free from the yoke of occupation".

"No matter how long the suffering lasts, it will not break our will to live and survive, the dawn of freedom will emerge," he said.

Mr Abbas was speaking virtually in New York after the US blocked his entry to the country for the annual summit, and said the people of Gaza "have been facing a war of genocide, destruction, starvation and displacement".

He told the summit that Israel has "imposed a stifling siege on an entire" population and destroyed more than 80% of homes, schools, hospitals, churches, mosques, facilities and infrastructure.

"It will be recorded in history books and the pages of international conscience as one of the most horrific chapters of humanitarian tragedy in the 20th and 21st centuries," he added.

'We do not want an armed state'

Mr Abbas vowed to work on a peace plan for Gaza with US President Donald Trump, Saudi Arabia, France and the United Nations after the world body overwhelmingly endorsed a seven-page declaration that aims to advance a two-state solution and an end to the war.

"Despite all that our people have suffered, we reject what Hamas carried out on October 7th - acts that targeted Israeli civilians and took them as hostages - because such actions do not represent the Palestinian people nor their just struggle for freedom and independence," Mr Abbas said.

"We have affirmed - and will continue to affirm - that Gaza is an integral part of the State of Palestine, and that we are ready to assume full responsibility for governance and security there. Hamas will have no role in governance, and it - along with other factions - must hand over its weapons to the Palestinian National Authority.

"We reiterate that we do not want an armed state."

Mr Abbas also reiterated a series of points to the UN, which included the need for an "immediate and permanent end" to the war in Gaza and the need for unconditional entry of humanitarian aid to UN organisations.

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The Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 triggered the war in Gaza. Hamas killed 1,200 people and Israeli figures suggest around 251 were taken hostage.

According to local health authorities, more than 65,000 people - mostly civilians - have been killed in the war in Gaza. Its figure does not differentiate between civilians and fighters.

Israel has rejected claims that it is carrying out a genocide in Gaza, arguing it is defending itself and fighting against Hamas, not the Palestinian population.

Attention turns to Netanyahu

On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will speak at the UN General Assembly in New York after a week that has seen widespread condemnation of the situation in Gaza and calls for peace.

Mr Netanyahu will then meet Mr Trump at the White House on Monday.

Speaking on Thursday while hosting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Mr Trump said he believes "we're close to getting some kind of deal done".

He also reiterated his call to "get the hostages back", adding that there are around 20 living hostages and "38 or so dead hostages" in Gaza.

(c) Sky News 2025: Palestinian president tells UN 'we will not leave our lands' and condemns Hamas attack