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Captives’ families welcome Arab nations’ call for Hamas to disarm
The families of captives held in Gaza have welcomed a declaration from a group of Arab nations calling, for the first time, for Hamas to disarm and relinquish power in Gaza.
“We welcome this important progress and the Arab League’s recognition that Hamas must end its rule in Gaza. Kidnapping innocent men, women, and children is a blatant violation of international law and must be unequivocally condemned,” read a statement from the group.
On Tuesday, a number of countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt, backed a seven-page text agreed at a UN conference on reviving a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians.
“In the context of ending the war in Gaza, Hamas must end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority, with international engagement and support, in line with the objective of a sovereign and independent Palestinian State,” read the statement cited by the AFP news agency.
It followed a call on Monday by the Palestinian delegation at the United Nations for both Israel and Hamas to leave Gaza, allowing the Palestinian Authority to administer the coastal territory.
Hamas has said it was ready to hand over the governing of Gaza to “an independent technocratic committee”. But the Palestinian group has repeatedly said that disarming was a red line.
US imposes sanctions on Palestinian Authority officials, PLO members
The US is imposing sanctions on Palestinian Authority (PA) officials and members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), saying the groups are undermining peace efforts, the US State Department has said in a statement.
The move prevents those targeted from receiving visas to travel to the US, it said.
“It is in our national security interests to impose consequences and hold the PLO and PA accountable for not complying with their commitments and undermining the prospects for peace.”
The move comes after Washington closed the Office of Palestinian Affairs in March, in what critics said was an attempt to sideline Palestinian officials’ ability to engage with the US. It also comes after the US cut funds to the PA’s security forces in February.
Trump claims Gaza’s humanitarian crisis would end with Hamas ‘surrender’
US President Donald Trump has said on his own social media platform, Truth Social, that “the fastest way to end the Humanitarian Crises in Gaza is for Hamas to SURRENDER AND RELEASE THE HOSTAGES!!!”.
Trump’s comment comes as US special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Israel.
Indirect ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas in Doha ended in deadlock last week, with the two sides trading blame for the impasse, and gaps remaining over issues, including the extent of Israeli forces’ withdrawal from Gaza.
Well at least he's honest now, it's not ceasefire negotiations, Trump/Witkoff are demanding total surrender. And no the crisis would not end.
