Unofficial Translation of Statement Delivered by H.E. President Mahmoud Abbas to the PLO Central Council on Gaza ceasefire

26 August 2014

In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate

Today marks 51 days of the barbaric aggression that Israel carried out and continues to carry out against our people in Gaza Strip. During this period, the number of martyrs rose up to more than 2000, and the number of injured to   more   than   10,000   injured   with   tens   of   thousands   of   houses   destroyed. Unfortunately,   until   this   moment,   the   attack   and   the   aggression continues indiscriminately and in most cases against innocents and civilians who are the primary victims of this aggression. As everyone knows, scores of families, probably more than sixty, were completely eliminated.

Therefore, it was necessary to exert all efforts, possible   and impossible, towards stopping the fighting, particularly after the Israelis withdrew from the negotiations   and   our   delegation   returned   and   we   continued   our   intensive efforts to resume negotiations again.

Indeed, we were able today, as we speak, to announce our acceptance of the Egyptian cease-fire initiative, a cease-fire that runs in tandem with providing the Strip with humanitarian, medical, food, and construction aid needed. After that, there will be talks about all the demands that will be put on the table.

The     efforts   succeeded     now,   only   few   minutes     before   arriving   here,   in returning to negotiations. We said that at seven, that is now, there will be a full   cessation of fighting.   Both delegations will return to Cairo as soon as possible to resume these efforts.

We reiterate our full appreciation for Egypt for all the efforts it exerted with us for a long time to reach a formula that is satisfactory to all parties. We also reiterate   that   Qatar has also contributed to this end.   It is also useful to mention thatJohn Kerry has exerted efforts and was on constant contact with us to achieve this cease-fire. We extend our thanks to all the parties that exerted these efforts as well as to the United Nations that will immediately send needed supplies to Gaza Strip, because the situation there is catastrophic and unimaginable.

Ending the fighting was the main issue that we discussed with Hamas leadership in Doha. We also discussed other important issues, namely, consolidating and   empowering the   national reconciliation to allow the national consensus government from fulfilling its duties. This needs time and effort, but it is one of the objectives that we sought to achieve ever since we talked about reconciliation and forming a national consensus government.

During this period of time, which lasted for more than 50 days, we exerted all efforts to provide our people with the supplies they need from here. This applied also to all organizations and parties, which is extremely good in the sense   of    the   people   sympathizing with the catastrophe that befell their brothers. We cannot deny the contributions of the countries who rushed to send supplies and aid to our people in Gaza Strip. But all of this is not enough, and it is necessary that all needed supplies flow into the Strip to allow the people to live, to have drinking water, to electricity, to education since all schools are currently occupied by families, and the same applies to hospitals, that is of course if they were not destroyed, since the destruction included schools, hospitals, and places of worship. All of this requires quick actions to allow the healing of the big wound of our people in Gaza Strip.

There is another topic that we will address, namely: what next? Gaza Strip alone   suffered from three wars in 2008-2009, 2012, and 2014. Should we expect another war after a year or two? Until when will the cause remain unresolved? We will put forward our vision to the leadership and will continue consultations   thereof   with   our   brothers   and   the   international   community. However, the vision should be very clear, very specific, and understood from A-Z, because engaging in vague negotiations is something we cannot continue to do.

Source: Negotiation Affairs Department; Photo: Palestine News Agency - WAFA