Hamas Must Surrender Weapons, Will Not Govern Post-War Gaza

LONDON, July 15— Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas has reiterated that Hamas will not be allowed to govern the Gaza Strip after the current war ends, insisting that the militant group must surrender its weapons and align itself with the political framework of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

The comments came during Abbas’s meeting in Amman with former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, who served as the Middle East envoy for the Quartet (UN, US, EU, and Russia) from 2007 to 2015.

“There must be one system, one law, and one legitimate weapon in the Palestinian territories,” Abbas told Blair on Sunday evening.

Abbas emphasized that Hamas must submit to PA authority if it wishes to participate in the political process, which he said must be consistent with the longstanding principles of the PLO. Neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Islamic Jihad are members of the PLO and have historically rejected its authority.

Hamas has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2007, following violent clashes with PA forces in which nearly 700 Palestinians were killed. Since then, Hamas has engaged in multiple rounds of conflict with Israel, most recently the October 7, 2023, attacks, which led to the deaths and abduction of hundreds of Israelis and triggered a devastating Israeli military campaign in Gaza. More than 58,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed in the war.

Abbas’s comments underscore his long-standing position that only the PA can legitimately govern Palestinian territories and that armed factions must disarm to ensure a unified and stable governance structure.

During the meeting, Abbas also called for

• An immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

• The release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

• Unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to the war-torn enclave.

He reaffirmed his commitment to a two-state solution and stressed the importance of the upcoming French-Saudi-sponsored international conference scheduled for late July in New York, aimed at reviving support for the creation of a Palestinian state.

The conference is expected to bring together key stakeholders to mobilize diplomatic backing for a comprehensive political resolution to the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.