United Nations (TDI): Major Arab states including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt joined calls on Tuesday for Hamas to disarm and relinquish control of Gaza, as part of efforts to end the devastating war in the Palestinian territory.
The move was outlined in a joint declaration adopted by 17 countries, along with the European Union and the Arab League, during a high-level United Nations conference focused on reviving the long-stalled two-state solution for Israel and Palestine.
“Hamas must end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority,” the document stated, adding that this process should take place with international support and supervision. The statement linked this step to the broader goal of establishing a sovereign and independent Palestinian state.
The declaration comes on the heels of an earlier appeal made by the Palestinian delegation at the UN, which called on both Israel and Hamas to withdraw from Gaza, allowing the Palestinian Authority to assume administrative control.
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The text also explicitly condemned the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, marking a rare moment of collective criticism from Arab capitals toward the militant group, according to AFP.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, whose country co-chaired the conference alongside Saudi Arabia, described the joint declaration as “historic and unprecedented.”
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“For the first time, Arab nations and other Middle Eastern players are openly condemning Hamas, denouncing the October 7 attack, and urging Hamas’ disarmament and removal from Palestinian political leadership,” Barrot said. He also noted that the declaration includes a clear indication of Arab countries’ readiness to normalize relations with Israel under the right conditions.
Diplomats say the move could pave the way for a new regional dynamic, where normalization, reconstruction, and statehood go hand-in-hand, but much will depend on political realities on the ground in Gaza.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
