Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas urged the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday to stop the war in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Palestinian Hamas militants, saying Israel had almost entirely destroyed Gaza and it was no longer fit for life.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas received a long round of applause as he addressed the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Thursday, insisting that "we will not leave, Palestine is our homeland," and "if anyone were to leave it would be the occupier."

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas urges the U.N. to stop the war in Gaza"Stop this crime. Stop it now. Stop the killing of children and women. Stop this genocide. Stop sending weapons to Israel. This madness cannot continue.

Abbas has had little influence in Gaza since Hamas overthrew his forces and seized power of the territory in 2007. The U.S. has said a reformed Palestinian Authority should play a

Follow our full coverage on the UN General Assembly Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday said Israel had almost entirely destroyed the Gaza Strip, rendering it uninhabitable, and called for Israeli allies to stop sending weapons.