Arab and Muslim nations, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, and Turkey, have for the first time jointly called for Hamas to disarm and cede control of Gaza to the Palestinian Authority (PA).
The move came during a United Nations conference co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
Backed by the 22-member Arab League and the European Union, the “New York Declaration” calls for governance and security in Palestinian territories to be placed under the PA.
“Governance, law enforcement and security across all Palestinian territory must lie solely with the Palestinian Authority, with appropriate international support,” the document read.
The text condemns the Hamas-led October 7 attack on Israel—which killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. It also denounces Israeli actions in Gaza that caused civilian deaths and urges Israel to end policies such as restricting aid to Gaza and maintaining military rule and settlement expansion in the West Bank.
France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot called the statement “unprecedented,” noting its clear message from Arab nations to exclude Hamas from governance and support future normalization with Israel. “For the first time, Arab countries condemn Hamas, call for its disarmament, and support a two-state solution,” he said.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum welcomed the declaration as a step toward international recognition that Hamas must relinquish power.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects the proposals, calling them a threat to Israel’s security. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar echoed this stance, describing a future Palestinian state as “a Hamas state.”
