Palestinian President calls on Hamas to lay down arms

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who was denied a visa to attend the United Nations meeting in New York, delivered a video address calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza as well as unrestricted humanitarian access through the UN.

Abbas urged that reconstruction of Gaza and the West Bank should begin “without delay.” He also made it clear that Hamas would have no role in Gaza’s future governance, insisting the group must surrender to the Palestinian Authority (PA).

“The State of Palestine is the only legitimate entity capable of assuming full responsibility for governance and security in Gaza,” Abbas said. “This will be carried out through an interim administrative committee affiliated with the Palestinian government in the West Bank, supported by Arab and international partners.”

He added, “Hamas and other factions must hand over their weapons to the Palestinian Authority. What we want is one unified state under one law, with a single legitimate security force.”

Abbas also announced that an interim constitution would be drafted within three months of the war’s end to guarantee a fair transfer of power, followed by elections held under international supervision.

The Palestinian president praised the 149 countries that have already recognised a Palestinian state and urged those that have not yet done so to follow suit.

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He further expressed his readiness to cooperate with US President Donald Trump, Saudi Arabia, and other international partners in implementing any peace initiative endorsed during the UN conference.