Paris: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has called on Hamas to relinquish its weapons and allow international forces to protect Palestinian civilians, France revealed on Tuesday. The statement comes ahead of an upcoming international conference on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, co-chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
In a letter dated Monday and addressed to Macron and Prince Mohammed, Abbas outlined key proposals aimed at ending the war in Gaza and reviving peace efforts. Among his primary demands was that Hamas must cease its control of Gaza and surrender its arms to the Palestinian Security Forces.
“Hamas will no longer govern Gaza and must transfer all military assets to the Palestinian Security Forces,” Abbas stated.
He also expressed readiness to invite both Arab and international peacekeeping forces to operate under a UN Security Council mandate to protect Palestinians and stabilize the region.
The letter, delivered ahead of a conference to be held at the UN headquarters later this month, emphasized Abbas’s support for a comprehensive peace process with a clear and binding timeline. The initiative aims to revive the long-stalled vision of a two-state solution, as Israel continues to maintain significant control over Palestinian territories.
"We are prepared to reach a final peace agreement—supported, monitored, and guaranteed internationally—that brings an end to the Israeli occupation and resolves all final status issues," Abbas said.
He also reiterated the demand for Hamas to immediately release all hostages and captives.
The French presidency welcomed Abbas's pledges, describing them as "concrete and unprecedented commitments" that signal a genuine desire to pursue a two-state solution. Macron has previously said he is open to recognizing a Palestinian state, but only under conditions that include Hamas’s disarmament.
In the same letter, Abbas confirmed his intent to reform the Palestinian Authority and organize presidential and legislative elections within a year, to be held under international supervision.
He reaffirmed that the future Palestinian state would be responsible for its own security but would not become a militarized nation.
France has consistently supported the two-state framework, even after the deadly Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. However, formal recognition of a Palestinian state by Paris would represent a significant diplomatic shift and could provoke strong objections from Israel, which maintains that unilateral recognition undermines negotiations.
