A senior Islamic Hamas leader said Friday that President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) has no authority to be president anymore.

Musa Abu Marzooq, a top Hamas leader based in Damascus, told the pro-Hamas al-Aqsa Radio station that "After January 9, Abbas, according to the law, doesn't have a presidential competence."

He insisted that, according to the law, Abbas was elected as President of the PNA in January 2005, "and now he doesn't have the authority as a president anymore."

"Abbas presidential term ends today. As we are living in exceptional situation, and the movement (Hamas) has now other priorities which are more important than discussing internal disputes," he said.

He added that Hamas is devoting its efforts and time "to challenge the ongoing Israeli military aggression on Gaza Strip that has been going on for 14 days."

Israel had earlier decided to continue its offensive on Gaza Strip despite a UN ceasefire resolution which calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. So far, around 790 Palestinians have been killed and about 3,200 others wounded.

(Xinhua News Agency January 10, 2009)