Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas made his strongest criticism yet of Hamas, calling them “sons of dogs” and demanding the release of Israeli hostages and the group’s disarmament.

Axar.az, citing CNN, reports that in a televised speech from Ramallah, Abbas accused Hamas of harming the Palestinian cause and giving Israel justification for its continued attacks on Gaza, which he described as “genocide.”

He called for an end to the war, the unification of Palestinian factions under the PLO, and the transformation of Hamas into a political party.

Abbas also urged the international community to act on past UN resolutions and support a peace conference. Hamas rejected Abbas’s remarks, accusing him of siding with Israel. The speech highlights deep divisions between Hamas and Fatah, who have failed for years to form a unified Palestinian government despite repeated reconciliation efforts.