Abbas demands Hamas disarm, rejects Israeli security control, and calls for Palestinian statehood amid Gaza’s devastation.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, speaking remotely to the UN General Assembly after a U.S. visa revocation, rejected any future role for Hamas in governing Gaza, demanding the group disarm and hand weapons to the Palestinian Authority. He condemned Israel’s military campaign as a war crime and crime against humanity, citing widespread destruction, starvation, and displacement, and reaffirmed support for a two-state solution. Abbas emphasized the Palestinian Authority’s readiness to assume full governance and security responsibilities in Gaza while rejecting Israeli demands for continued security control and opposition to Palestinian statehood. Despite recent recognition of Palestinian statehood by several nations, he stressed that symbolic recognition is insufficient without concrete action to end the occupation. With over 65,000 killed and 90% of Gaza’s housing destroyed, Abbas expressed hope for Palestinian freedom and sovereignty, declaring the people’s will will not be broken.