Hamas has been told to give up control of Gaza - REUTERS

The Arab world has called on Hamas to lay down arms and surrender its rule of Gaza.

In an unprecedented move, Arab countries including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt joined calls for the Palestinian terror group to disband in a bid to end the war that has devastated the territory.

Seventeen countries including the European Union and Arab League threw their weight behind a seven-page text agreed at a United Nations conference on reviving the 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,” said the declaration.

It followed a call on Monday by the Palestinian delegation at the UN for both Israel and Hamas to leave Gaza, allowing the Palestinian Authority to administer the coastal territory.

Palestinians carry flour back from an aid delivery in Rafah on Tuesday - GETTY IMAGES

The text also condemned the deadly Hamas attacks against Israel of October 7, 2023, which launched the war.

France, which co-chaired the conference with Saudi Arabia, called the declaration “both historic and unprecedented”.

“For the first time, Arab countries and those in the Middle East condemn Hamas, condemn October 7, call for the disarmament of Hamas, call for its exclusion from Palestinian governance, and clearly express their intention to normalise relations with Israel in the future,” said Jean-Noel Barrot, France’s foreign minister.

The text, co-signed by France, Britain and Canada among other western nations, also called for the possible deployment of foreign forces to stabilise Gaza after the end of hostilities.

“We supported the deployment of a temporary international stabilization mission upon invitation by the Palestinian Authority and under the aegis of the United Nations and in line with UN principles, building on existing UN capacities, to be mandated by the UN Security Council, with appropriate regional and international support,” said the declaration.

Israel and the United States did not take part in the meeting.

Earlier this month, Hamas sources told Saudi media that the group would consider laying down its arms as part of a ceasefire deal with Israel.

It comes as Sir Keir Starmer said on Tuesday that Britain would recognise Palestine as a state unless Israel met a series of conditions, including ending the “appalling” situation in Gaza.

Pro-Palestine protesters outside Egypt’s embassy in New York on Monday - GETTY IMAGES

For decades, most UN members have supported a two-state solution with Israel and a Palestinian state existing side by side.

But after more than 21 months of war in Gaza, the ongoing expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, and Israeli officials declaring designs to annex occupied territory, it is feared a Palestinian state could become geographically impossible.

The current war in Gaza began following the Hamas attacks on Israel, which responded with a large-scale military response that has claimed tens of thousands of Palestinian lives and destroyed most infrastructure in the enclave.

Antonio Guterres, the UN’s secretary general, said at the meeting on Monday that “the two-state solution is farther than ever before”.

Jake Wallis Simons

This is the darkest day in British foreign policy since the invasion of Iraq

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