The Jerusalem Post reported today that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas criticized Hamas for refusing to accept a ceasefire until this week, as well as for carrying out summary executions last week.
He confirmed that Hamas targeted Fatah members in Gaza and condemned their public executions. “Kill spies within the means of the law,” he said, “not in the streets.”
He also noted there was no difference between the original Egypt-mediated cease-fire and that which was ultimately signed this week.”
In early August, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a similar observation at a press conference:
Israel accepted and Hamas rejected the Egyptian ceasefire proposal of July 15th. Now I want you to know that at that time, the conflict had claimed some 185 lives. Only on Monday night did Hamas finally agree to that very same proposal, which went into effect yesterday morning. That means that 90%, a full 90% of the fatalities in this conflict could have been avoided had Hamas not rejected then the ceasefire that it accepts now.
In all, Hamas violated eleven ceasefires before finally accepting the original Egyptian sponsored one earlier this week.
Shortest ceasefire in history: 7 minuets.
In-Depth Stats File:https://t.co/rYnNMglGfY pic.twitter.com/6MOYlVyaAE
— Nehemia G.A. (@Nehemia_G) August 26, 2014
Previously Abbas was reported to object to the executions on grounds that the victims were not given a fair trial.