Palestinian leader condemns Hamas, backs international force for Gaza

In a significant development ahead of a UN conference on the two-state solution, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has expressed support for Hamas to lay down its arms and step away from governing Gaza as part of a future Palestinian state.

The statement was made in a letter addressed to French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who will co-chair the conference in New York from June 17 to 21, according to a Tuesday announcement from the French presidency.

In the letter, Abbas condemned the actions of Hamas during its October 7, 2023, attack, describing the killing and taking of civilian hostages as “unacceptable and condemnable.” He urged the Islamist Palestinian movement to “immediately release all hostages and detainees.”

Furthermore, Abbas signaled openness to international involvement, stating his readiness to “invite Arab and international forces to deploy as part of a stabilization/protection mission under a UN Security Council mandate.”

This proposal underscores his vision for a restructured governance framework in Gaza and the broader Palestinian territories.