Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has called on Hamas and other armed factions to surrender their weapons to the Palestinian Authority, asserting its exclusive right to govern Gaza. Speaking via video at a special session of the United Nations General Assembly focused on the two-state solution, Abbas emphasized the need for unified governance under a single legal and security framework.
“Hamas and other factions must surrender their weapons to the Palestinian Authority,” Abbas declared. “What we want is one unified state without weapons, a state with one law and one legitimate security force.”
His remarks come amid renewed international debate over the future of Gaza and the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Abbas framed disarmament as essential to restoring order, advancing peace, and laying the groundwork for a viable Palestinian state alongside Israel.
The Palestinian Authority, which lost control of Gaza to Hamas in 2007, has long sought to reassert its authority in the enclave. Abbas’s statement signals a firm stance on political and security centralization as a prerequisite for any future settlement.
The speech drew attention from UN member states, many of which continue to advocate for a negotiated two-state solution grounded in international law and mutual recognition.
Mahmoud Abbas, President of Palestine Picture from Wef
