Qatar, Saudi, Egypt Urge Hamas to Disarm and Exit Gaza

Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt—alongside 14 other countries, the EU, and the Arab League—have publicly called for Hamas to disarm and step down from ruling Gaza.

The bold move was made during a UN conference focused on reviving the long-stalled two-state solution between Israel and Palestine.

Declaration Pushes for PA to Take Over Gaza

The joint statement urged Hamas to hand over control of Gaza to the Palestinian Authority (PA) with international backing, aiming to pave the way for a sovereign and independent Palestinian state.

This comes after the Palestinian delegation itself requested both Hamas and Israel withdraw from Gaza to allow the PA to govern.

Condemning Hamas, Opening Doors

What makes this stand out? For the first time, Arab states condemned the October 7 Hamas attacks and clearly called for the group’s disarmament and removal from Palestinian governance.

France, which co-hosted the event with Saudi Arabia, called the move “historic and unprecedented.” The statement even hinted that some countries may be open to normalizing ties with Israel—a big deal in the region.

What’s Next? Possible Foreign Forces in Gaza

The declaration also proposed a temporary international stabilization mission in Gaza, under UN leadership, once the war ends. The UN Security Council would have to greenlight it, and regional backing would be key.

UK May Recognize Palestine Soon

On the sidelines of the conference, Britain said it could recognize a Palestinian state by September—if Israel meets conditions like a Gaza ceasefire and increased humanitarian aid.

The War Isn’t Over Yet

It’s been 21 months since the latest war in Gaza began, following Hamas’ October 2023 attack and Israel’s massive military response. The fighting has caused widespread destruction and tens of thousands of Palestinian casualties.

At the conference, UN Secretary-General António Guterres admitted the truth: “The two-state solution is farther than ever.”