Speaking at a joint news conference with visiting U.S. President George W. Bush, he said that Hamas' violent takeover of the Gaza was a "coup," stressing that there would be no dialogue with Hamas before the group ceded the enclave.
Bush also said that Hamas had created nothing but misery for the 1.5 million people under its control in the Gaza Strip, commenting that "Gaza's a tough situation."
"I don't know whether you can solve it in a year or not," he said.
The Gaza Strip has been controlled by Hamas since it seized control of the enclave in June. Abbas's Fatah party controls the West Bank. The division of the Palestinian territories is yet another stumbling block in talks on Palestinian statehood.
On Wednesday, Bush started an eight-day Middle East tour designed to build on goals set at the U.S.-sponsored Annapolis conference in November.
He said that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas were committed to achieving peace, and that his visit to the region was aimed at helping both parties.
After meeting with Abbas, Bush said: "In order for there to be lasting peace, President Abbas and Prime Minister Olmert have to come together and make tough choices. And I'm convinced they will. And I believe it's possible - not only possible, I believe it's going to happen - that there be a signed peace treaty by the time I leave office (in January 2009). That's what I believe."
Bush's trip to the Palestinian territories does not include a stop in Gaza. After meeting Abbas, Bush went by helicopter to the West Bank city of Bethlehem.
