Arab states and international powers have issued a declaration calling for Hamas to disarm and hand over control of Gaza to the Palestinian Authority, as part of a wider push to end the war and establish an independent Palestinian state.
The “New York Declaration,” was issued by France and Saudi Arabia with support from over 20 countries and organisations, including Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Senegal, Turkey and the League of Arab States.
The declaration calls for “collective action to end the war in Gaza” and a “just, peaceful, and lasting resolution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict based on the effective implementation of the two-state solution.
On the issue of Palestinian governance, the signatories back the Palestinian Authority’s “One State, One Government, One Law, One Gun” policy, calling for Hamas to hand over its weapons and end its rule in Gaza.
Governance, law enforcement, and security, they argue, must be under the sole authority of the Palestinian Authority, with international support.
The Palestinian Authority is known to work closely with western states as well as Israel.
The document also includes some of the strongest coordinated international language seen in recent years on the ongoing conflict, with specific references to war crimes committed by both Hamas and Israel.
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“We condemn the attacks committed by Hamas against civilians on October 7,” the statement said, “as well as the attacks carried out by Israel against civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza, along with the blockade and starvation that have caused a devastating humanitarian catastrophe and a protection crisis.”
It adds: “There is no justification for grave breaches of international law, including international humanitarian law, and we stress the need for accountability.”
The declaration calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages, the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and the reopening of border crossings.
“The war in Gaza must end now,” it says, adding that “crossings throughout the Gaza Strip must be opened… including the immediate lifting of restrictions and the opening of border crossings by Israel.
Gaza is referred to as “an integral part of the Palestinian state,” with the declaration rejecting any “occupation, siege, territorial reduction, or forced displacement.”
The declaration also outlines steps for the post-war period, including the establishment of an interim administrative committee in Gaza, a Gaza Reconstruction Conference in Cairo, and the deployment of a UN-mandated international stabilisation mission to protect civilians and support Palestinian state-building.
The signatories endorsed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s June 2025 letter committing to peaceful resolution, rejecting terrorism, and pledging that Palestine “does not intend to be a military state.”
Abbas also committed to holding general and presidential elections across the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, within one year.
The declaration urges Israel to halt its settlement expansion, end settler violence and “make a clear and public commitment to the two-state solution.”
It calls on the Israeli government to “publicly renounce any annexation projects or settlement policies,” and to implement legislation “to punish and deter violent settlers and their illegal actions.”
International stakeholders committed to supporting the Palestinian economy through trade access, tax reform, and financial autonomy.
The declaration calls for the “immediate release of withheld Palestinian tax revenues” and a revision of the 1994 Paris Economic Protocol to ensure “full Palestinian control over the tax system.”
On the refugee issue, the declaration affirms UN General Assembly Resolution 194 and supports transferring UNRWA’s public services to Palestinian institutions “upon reaching a just solution.”
The declaration concludes by calling for a regional peace architecture that includes a future “Peace Day,” inspired by models such as ASEAN and OSCE.
It ties Palestinian statehood to broader regional security and economic integration, stating: “Regional integration and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state are interconnected goals.”
Finally, the signatories committed to following up through the Global Coalition for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, with high-level mobilisation expected at the UN General Assembly in September.
