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By World Israel News Staff
The leader of the Palestinian Authority called on the Hamas terror organization over the weekend to surrender its weapons and return the remaining 50 hostages held in the Gaza Strip to Israel.
Free Gaza From Hamas!
Pro-Hamas protesters won’t like this one little bit, but Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas has again called for Hamas to release all the hostages and lay down its weapons.https://t.co/Ky0qvxmz9x pic.twitter.com/IT2XF0CuV5
— Mark Irvine (@Mark1957) July 14, 2025
Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas met with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Amman, Jordan on Sunday for talks on the war in Gaza, efforts to reach a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and the post-war governance of the coastal enclave.
During their meeting, Abbas emphasized to Blair – who previously served as envoy for the Middle East Quartet representing the United Nations, U.S., European Union, and Russia – the Palestinian Authority’s rejection of Hamas rule over Gaza after the current war.
Abbas reiterated Ramallah’s position that the Gaza Strip must be placed under the authority of the Palestinian Authority, which governed the strip from 1994 until its takeover by Hamas in 2007.
“Hamas will not control Gaza the day after the war,” Abbas said.
The 89-year-old PLO leader also demanded that Hamas disarm, while also calling for a complete withdrawal of all Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas:
“Hamas must release all the hostages and hand over their weapons.” pic.twitter.com/PzGVNtu0W7
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) July 13, 2025
“It must hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority. The only way to resolve the situation is a full Israeli withdrawal from the Strip and transferring control of the Strip to the ‘State of Palestine’.”
According to a report by the PA mouthpiece WAFA, Abbas also called on Hamas to release the remaining 50 hostages held in the Gaza Strip.
Of the 50 captives still held in Gaza, less than half are believed to be still alive.
The Palestinian Authority chairman also warned Israel against taking any “unilateral measures,” including expansion of Jewish towns in Judea and Samaria, or the application of Israeli sovereignty over parts of the area.
Abbas, head of the PLO and leader of the ruling Fatah party, first condemned the 2023 Hamas invasion of Israel last month, despite pressure since October 7th, 2023 to distance himself from the Islamist terror group’s actions.
