**Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas urges Hamas to disarm and release hostages in a letter to French President Macron as preparations for a pivotal UN conference unfold.**
**Hamas Must Disarm: Palestinian Authority President's Ultimatum to Gaza**
**Hamas Must Disarm: Palestinian Authority President's Ultimatum to Gaza**
**Mahmoud Abbas Calls for End to Hamas Governance in Gaza Ahead of UN Conference**
Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, has issued a strong call for Hamas to relinquish its military capabilities and end its governance of Gaza. This appeal comes in a letter directed to French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who are preparing to co-chair a significant UN conference in New York next week aimed at addressing the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Abbas emphasized in his letter that "Hamas will no longer rule Gaza and must hand over its weapons and military capabilities" to the Palestinian security forces. He indicated that this transition would occur with the assistance of Arab and international support—a move likely to be met with skepticism from Israel and the United States.
The letter also reiterated Abbas’s demands for Hamas to free all hostages, a plea he has made frequently, particularly in light of the recent devastating attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7, which resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities. Abbas condemned the actions of Hamas in the strongest terms, describing the attack as "unacceptable and reprehensible."
The long-standing rift between Abbas’s Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the West Bank, and Hamas, which controls Gaza, presents ongoing challenges to Palestinian unity. Traditional reconciliation efforts have been resisted by both factions, an issue that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has used to undermine prospects for a two-state solution.
Abbas emphasized in his letter that "Hamas will no longer rule Gaza and must hand over its weapons and military capabilities" to the Palestinian security forces. He indicated that this transition would occur with the assistance of Arab and international support—a move likely to be met with skepticism from Israel and the United States.
The letter also reiterated Abbas’s demands for Hamas to free all hostages, a plea he has made frequently, particularly in light of the recent devastating attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7, which resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities. Abbas condemned the actions of Hamas in the strongest terms, describing the attack as "unacceptable and reprehensible."
The long-standing rift between Abbas’s Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the West Bank, and Hamas, which controls Gaza, presents ongoing challenges to Palestinian unity. Traditional reconciliation efforts have been resisted by both factions, an issue that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has used to undermine prospects for a two-state solution.
