Speaking over video after the United States revoked his visa, the Palestinian leader told world leaders Thursday that his people reject the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and pledged that the militant group would have no role in governing the Gaza Strip after war ends and must hand over its weapons to his administration. Said Mahmoud Abbas to his people: “The dawn of freedom will emerge.”

Abbas told the U.N. General Assembly that Palestinians in Gaza “have been facing a war of genocide, destruction, starvation and displacement” by Israel. His speech came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heads to New York to give his own address in person on Friday.

In a short but resolute speech, Abbas lay out his continued vision for a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza alongside Israel. That two-state solution has gained traction after a string of countries – including top U.S. allies — announced recognition of a Palestinian state this past week.

But it also appears further than ever from realities on the ground. Netanyahu’s government has rejected the creation of a Palestinian state.

Israeli troops control most of the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu says Israel will maintain security control over the territory after Hamas is defeated, and he has rejected giving Abbas’ Palestinian Authority any role in there. Some ministers in Netanyahu’s government have pushed for annexing the occupied West Bank, where Abbas’ authority currently administers small pockets of territory.

“There can be no justice if Palestine is not freed,” Abbas said.

He said the Palestinian Authority is “ready to bear full responsibility for governance and security” in Gaza. He added that “Hamas will have no role to play in governance,” and will have to hand over their weapons to the Palestinian authorities.

Hamas has agreed to step down from power in Gaza but has rejected Israeli demands that it disarm, saying it has a right to resist Israeli occupation.

Abbas said Israel’s campaign in Gaza “is not merely an aggression, it is a war crime and a crime against humanity.”

Abbas thanked the world leaders who have stood up for Palestinians throughout the Gaza war, saying that the recent recognition of Palestinian statehood has presented his people with hope for peace and an end to the conflict. He welcomed the recent announcements from France, the U.K. and Canada to recognize them as an independent state and called for the remains few dozen countries to do the same.

But, he added, that symbolic recognition is not enough to address the present moment.

“The time has come for the international community to do right by the Palestinian people, so that they may obtain their rights for their legitimate rights to be rid of the occupation and to not remain a hostage to the temperament of Israeli politics, which denies our rights and continue in their injustice, oppression and aggression,” Abbas said.

Before concluding, he sent a message of hope to the Palestinian people, saying that no matter how long the suffering continues, “its results will not break our will to live and survive.”

“The dawn of freedom will emerge, and the flag of Palestine will fly high in our skies as a symbol of dignity, steadfastness and being free from the occupation,” Abbas said. “We will not leave our homeland. We will not leave our lands.”

(AP)