Arab and Muslim countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, have called on Hamas to disarm and abandon power in the Gaza Strip, as part of an end to the war on the territory.
The 22-member Arab League, the entire European Union and 17 other countries signed a declaration at a United Nations meeting co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France on Tuesday.
The New York conference aims to address “a peaceful solution to the Palestinian issue and the implementation of a two-state solution” and the declaration sets out the steps that signatories should take next.
The common document reads: “Governance, law enforcement and security in all Palestinian territories must lie in Palestinian authority only and with proper international support.” He added: “In the context of ending the war in Gaza, Hamas must end his rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to Palestinian authority and interact with and with the international and independent figures of unity and independent.
The text also condemned Hamas' deadly attack on Israel and proposed the deployment of a “temporary international stability mission” at the invitation of the PA and “under the Aegis of the United Nations.”
“We welcome some member states to express their ready contributions to the forces,” it said.
France, co-chairing the meeting, called the declaration “unprecedented.”
“Saudi Arabia and the region of Arab and Muslim countries condemn terrorism for the first time, an act of terrorism on October 7, calling for disarmament of Hamas and expressed hope for a normal relationship with Israel in due course,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said in a UN speech on Tuesday.
The Hostages and Missing Family Forum praised the declaration, saying: “We welcome this important progress, and the Arab League's rule that Hamas must end in Gaza. The kidnapping of innocent men, women and children has been blatantly in violation of international law and must be condemned.”
Throughout the war, Qatar and Egypt were in a ceasefire negotiation, and both Qatar and Egyptian mediators remained in contact with Hamas and Israel.
In March, once the war ended, Egypt's Gaza plan formulated by the country excluded Hamas from the governance of the enclave, and the draft plan obtained by CNN showed.
Arab leaders in Cairo discussed the plan at an emergency summit, and the Egyptian president proposed a Palestinian committee to temporarily manage Gaza – taking over from Hamas and eventually handing over power to the Palestinian authorities (PA).
Saudi Arabia has repeatedly promoted the revival of the two-state solution.
France said it would recognize a Palestinian state in September, which would frustrate Israel. The UK also said it would recognize the Palestinian state in September unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza. Both Israel and the United States condemned the statements of France and Britain.
However, Hamas showed no signs of power in the enclave, but officials in militant groups have made ambivalent statements about the movement’s role in post-war Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly opposed the two-state solution, believing it is incompatible with the security of his country.
This story has been updated with other developments.