Hamas: Abbas' wanted to disarm the resistance and control the Strip

Hamas yesterday expressed its regret that the latest visit by ministers of the unity government to the Gaza Strip did not help in lifting the siege, Quds Press newspaper reported.

“The real purpose of this visit is to afford a political cover to strengthen the Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip, attempting to push the Gazans to surrender to the Israeli occupation’s conditions – disarming resistance,” Hamas spokesman Salah Al-Bardawil said.

“The ministers did not aim to find solutions for problems for the reconstruction of Gaza or facilitating the siege,” he said. “They wanted to put Hamas in the corner in order to justify the Israeli siege.”

He said that this visit is “part of the tactics of Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas” to cover the “crime” of the siege on the Strip and “putting off the reconstruction” and “starving” its children. “The ministers remained in Gaza for a week, but had no breakthrough,” he added.

About the Palestinian statehood bid in the UNSC and joining the international bodies, the Hamas spokesman said: “Throughout these acts, Abbas is trying to reinforce his condition to control the Strip – disarming the resistance.”

Al-Bardawil said that Abbas’ “tactics” would never affect the Palestinian resistance or the Palestinian principles, including resisting the occupation. “We will never recognise the occupation,” he concluded.