Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has called on Hamas to relinquish its weapons and military assets, stating that the group will no longer have a role in governing the Gaza Strip. In a significant diplomatic move, Abbas also expressed readiness to welcome international forces to safeguard the Palestinian people, according to an announcement from the French government on Tuesday.
The appeal was made in a letter addressed on Monday to French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Both leaders are scheduled to co-chair an upcoming international conference at the United Nations later this month, focused on reviving the two-state solution between Israel and Palestine.
In the letter, Abbas emphasized that “Hamas must hand over its weapons and military capabilities to the Palestinian Security Forces,” signaling a clear shift towards consolidating authority under the Palestinian Authority. He also called for the deployment of Arab and international forces under a United Nations Security Council mandate to participate in a stabilization and protection mission in Palestinian territories.
Abbas reiterated his commitment to achieving peace through diplomatic means. “We are ready to finalize a peace agreement within a defined and binding timeline, under international supervision and with concrete guarantees,” he stated. The agreement, he added, would aim to end the Israeli occupation and address all unresolved and final-status issues.
He also demanded that “Hamas must immediately release all hostages and captives,” reinforcing his stance against the militant group’s tactics.
The French presidency welcomed what it described as “concrete and unprecedented commitments,” recognizing Abbas’s letter as evidence of a genuine effort to pursue the two-state solution. President Macron has reiterated his intention to recognize a Palestinian state, but emphasized key prerequisites — notably the disarmament of Hamas.
In a further demonstration of political readiness, Abbas confirmed plans to reform the Palestinian Authority and committed to holding presidential and parliamentary elections within one year, under international oversight.
“The Palestinian State should be the sole provider of security within its own borders,” Abbas wrote, adding, however, that the future Palestinian state does not seek to become a militarized nation.
France has long advocated for a two-state resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, maintaining this stance even in the wake of the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. However, any formal recognition of Palestinian statehood by France would represent a major shift in foreign policy and could potentially strain diplomatic relations with Israel, which argues that such recognition is premature.
