It should never be forgotten that Hamas sparked this war. It continues to hold hostages. It hides among civilians. Yet, Aghabekian’s commentary features no condemnation of the group.

It is a grotesque irony that as Palestinians in Gaza continue to die under the weight of Hamas’s choices and Israel’s retaliation, Palestinian leaders, those who claim to represent their people on the world stage, have yet to utter the one sentence that could begin to chart a course toward peace: “Give the hostages back.”

In an interview with Saudi daily Arab News this week, Dr. Varsen Aghabekian, the Palestinian foreign affairs and expatriates minister, launched into a predictable tirade against Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, labelling it a “genocidal war” and accusing the Jewish state of enjoying “impunity.” She spoke about the destruction in Gaza, the deaths of civilians, and the humanitarian toll.

What she did not speak about—at all—was Hamas’s responsibility. Not one word about the 250 hostages taken on October 7. Not a single acknowledgement that the release of the remaining 59 captives, 24 of whom are believed to be alive, could bring about a ceasefire and save thousands of lives.

It is true to Palestinian form. Always the victim, never responsible.

Israel, for all its flaws and failings, has put proposals on the table. The most recent offered a 45-day ceasefire in return for 10 hostages. Hamas, supported in silence and sometimes in word by Palestinian officials like Aghabekian, rejected it outright. What sort of leadership is it that refuses a path to relief, to rebuilding, to stopping the killing of its own people?

Aghabekian claimed that “a durable ceasefire entails meeting the demands of both parties.” But she must know full well that one side refuses even the most basic gesture of humanity: releasing innocent civilians.

Instead, she casts Israel’s offer to leave Gaza only once Hamas is disarmed as “unrealistic.” What, then, is realistic? Should the terrorist group that sparked this war by butchering Israeli families and taking hostages remain armed and entrenched in Gaza? That they should dictate the terms of peace while hiding behind women and children?

Evading Responsibility

Worse still is the role the Palestinian Authority (PA) plays in this grotesque theater of evading responsibility. Aghabekian insisted in her interview that the PA “is doing its homework” to prepare for governance in Gaza.

But where is the homework on political reconciliation? On demanding accountability from Hamas? On using even a fraction of its diplomatic platform to demand that the hostages be returned? If Aghabekian wants to prove that the PA is fit to govern Gaza in Hamas’s stead, let her begin by calling for the unconditional release of those civilians still imprisoned in tunnels.

If the PA, which has been at odds with Hamas for years, believes it is the rightful heirs to govern Gaza, they have an opportunity (and have had for the 18 months of war) to build a better relationship with Israel, demand the hostages are released, and add another nail into Hamas’s coffin. Instead, they spout the same party lines the world has heard for decades – Israeli aggression is genocide.

Aghabekian affirmed that “we do not want to transfer what is happening in Gaza to the West Bank,” and claims the leadership is “focused on avoiding further civilian casualties.” But civilians are already dying in Gaza, not because of Israeli intent alone, but because the governing Palestinian bodies refuse to act responsibly. Instead of working to save lives, the leadership focuses on grand diplomatic conferences, peddling the same hollow demands about international law and “genocide” while showing zero interest in the most practical, immediate solution: freeing the hostages.

It should never be forgotten that Hamas sparked this war. It continues to hold hostages. It hides among civilians. Yet, Aghabekian’s commentary features no condemnation of the group. Only veiled sympathy, as when she blames the collapse of a ceasefire on Israel’s intentions, not Hamas’s crimes.

Civilian deaths are a tragedy. But what is equally tragic is the Palestinian leadership’s refusal to lead. Its refusal to demand the return of the hostages. Its refusal to condemn Hamas. Its refusal to take ownership of its own people’s future.

If Palestinian diplomats like Aghabekian wish to be taken seriously, they must first acknowledge the moral and strategic rot that Hamas has inflicted upon Gaza and the Palestinian cause. Until then, the PA will remain an obstacle to peace, rather than a force for it.

Alex Winston is the news editor at The Jerusalem Post and the author of the Our Homes, Neighborhood Corner, and Traffic Corner real estate columns.