For the First Time, Arab Nations Urge Hamas to Relinquish Control of Gaza
Light House Denver – For the first time in modern diplomacy, Arab nations officially urged Hamas to disarm and cede control of Gaza to the Palestinian Authority. The demand was delivered in a joint declaration announced during a United Nations conference in New York on Tuesday, July 29, 2025.
Arab nations including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt were among the signatories. In total, the declaration was endorsed by 22 member states of the Arab League, the entire European Union, and 17 other countries, signaling a major shift in the Arab world’s stance toward Hamas, the militant group that has ruled Gaza since 2007.
The joint statement asserted that governance, law enforcement, and security across Palestinian territories must be fully under the control of the Palestinian Authority, supported by adequate international assistance.
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“In the context of ending the war in Gaza, Hamas must relinquish its authority over the territory and surrender its weapons to the Palestinian Authority,” the official statement read on Thursday (July 31, 2025).
The declaration also condemned the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel and proposed the creation of a temporary international stabilization mission in Gaza, operating under the United Nations, to restore order and security.
France, co-host of the conference alongside Saudi Arabia, welcomed the declaration as a “historic milestone.” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated:
“For the first time, Saudi Arabia and other Arab and Muslim countries have condemned the October 7 terror attacks, called for Hamas to disarm, and expressed a desire to normalize relations with Israel.”
In a move likely to strain relations with Israel and the United States, France also announced its intention to vote in favor of recognizing a Palestinian state during the upcoming UN session in September. The United Kingdom made a similar statement, although with the condition that Israel agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza, a condition that both Israel and the US strongly opposed.
The Hostage and Missing Families Forum welcomed the declaration. The group has long demanded that Hamas be held accountable for the abduction of civilians.
“We welcome this significant progress and the Arab League’s recognition that Hamas must end its rule in Gaza. The group said the kidnapping of civilians blatantly violates international law. They emphasized it must be unequivocally condemned.
Despite mounting international pressure, Hamas has yet to make a clear commitment to stepping down. In fact, some officials from the group have issued conflicting statements about Gaza’s future following the war.
Meanwhile, Egypt is acting as a key mediator alongside Qatar in ceasefire negotiations. It has already drafted a post-war governance plan that excludes Hamas. The proposal forms a temporary Palestinian committee to take control of Gaza. It then transfers authority to the Palestinian Authority.
Saudi Arabia continues to push for the revival of the two-state solution. It sees this as the only viable path to ending the prolonged Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
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