Hamas leader Mohammed Abu Askar called to prosecute Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas and PA “Prime Minister” Rami Hamdallah Monday, for “crimes against Gaza.” 

In a speech at an event for the Hamas women’s movement in front of the Erez crossing, Abu Askar accused the PA of tightening the important and export restrictions against Gaza and preventing gas supplies for the Gaza power plant from being delivered – which Hamas claims has indirectly caused the death of dozens of Palestinian Arabs under its reign. 

Abu Askar stated that Abbas has attempted to “force Gaza to surrender, but that did not happen.” The reason is, allegedly, not to help the PA, but to help “American and Israeli plots’ against Hamas. 

He further claimed that Abbas has attempted to force Hamas to be submissive to Israel and to the US, and does not care about the real-time results. 

Hamas regularly accuses Abbas of being responsible for the power plant failures, claiming that it is hogging the electricity Israel provides to the Palestinians.