Mahmoud Abbas' Commitment Amid Gaza Crisis

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas announced plans to visit Gaza amidst a 10-month conflict with Israel. Speaking in Turkey, Abbas urged Muslim leaders to join him and criticized Israel's actions as genocide. Tensions remain high following the killing of Hamas official Ismail Haniyeh, with regional stability at stake.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas vowed on Thursday to travel to Gaza as the Israel-Hamas war surpasses 10 months of conflict.

Addressing the Turkish parliament in Ankara, Abbas called on Muslim leaders to join him in the enclave, where over 40,000 Palestinians have perished since October, according to Gaza health officials.

"I have decided to go to Gaza with all my brothers in Palestine," Abbas declared to applause from Turkish lawmakers. "I will go even if the price is my life. Our lives are not more valuable than the life of any child who died in Gaza." Abbas, the president of the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority, was speaking at the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a known supporter of Hamas and the wider Palestinian cause. The invitation followed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to the US Congress in July.

In his 45-minute address, the 88-year-old Abbas expressed gratitude towards Turkey and condemned Israel for what he termed as "genocide" in Gaza. He stressed that regional stability hinges on Palestinian rights being recognized.

"The path to peace and security begins and ends with Palestine," Abbas told deputies, who wore scarves adorned with both Palestinian and Turkish flags.

The visit by Abbas came as concerns about Iranian retaliation against Israel over the assassination of Hamas official Ismail Haniyeh remained high, suggesting potential for the conflict to escalate further across the Middle East.

On Wednesday, Erdogan welcomed Abbas for talks that concentrated on the ongoing war in Gaza. Discussions at the presidential palace in Ankara focused on Israeli "massacres in Palestinian territories" and the necessary steps towards achieving a permanent ceasefire and peace, according to Erdogan's office.

In a statement released on X, Erdogan pledged ongoing support for "Palestine's just cause" and vowed to push the international community, especially the Islamic world, to deliver humanitarian aid and ensure peace in the region.

Unlike Western nations that consider Hamas a terrorist organization, Erdogan has hailed the group as a liberation movement and has hosted its leaders in Turkey multiple times.

The Palestinian Authority has largely been marginalized since the Gaza war began with a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, resulting in 1,200 deaths and the kidnapping of about 250 hostages.

As the chair of the Fatah party, Abbas noted the long-standing rift with Hamas, which dates back to Hamas' electoral win in Gaza in 2006 and the brief armed conflict with Fatah that followed.

Erdogan, a vocal critic of Israel's military operations in Gaza, has accused the Israeli government of committing genocide and has likened Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler.

In May, Turkey halted trade with Israel in response to its actions in Gaza. On Aug. 7, Turkey sought to join South Africa's genocide lawsuit against Israel at a UN court.

Erdogan has also criticized Western countries for their support of Israel and demanded international judicial action against its leaders.

The situation has intensified following the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, allegedly by Israeli forces, and the death of a senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon, raising fears of further escalation with an anticipated Iranian response.

Prior to Abbas' visit, US Ambassador Jeffry Flake indicated that Washington was seeking Turkey's and other governments' assistance, given their ties to Tehran, to help de-escalate the conflict.

"Turkey can engage with groups that we cannot regarding the Gaza situation," Flake mentioned to the state-run Anadolu Agency on Wednesday. "We urge our partners here to make efforts to reduce tensions wherever possible."

(With inputs from agencies.)