Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa has called on Hamas to “lay down its arms,” “release the hostages,” and relinquish control of the Gaza Strip. Speaking at a UN conference on the two-state solution, Mustafa stated that all nations bear responsibility to act now to end the war in Gaza and across Palestine, secure the release of hostages and prisoners, and ensure the withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces. He added that the Palestinian Authority (PA) is prepared to coordinate with an Arab force to help stabilize Gaza post-war.
Mustafa suggested Hamas transfer its weapons to the PA. While Israel has expressed openness to assistance from Arab nations like the UAE, these countries have conditioned their support on the involvement of the PA—an entity Israel has long rejected, equating the more moderate Ramallah-based authority with Hamas. “We must all work to reunify the Gaza Strip with the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, without occupation, siege, settlements, forced displacement, or annexations,” Mustafa declared. He emphasized the need to rebuild Gaza for its people, end the occupation, achieve Palestinian independence, and implement a two-state solution where Palestine and Israel coexist peacefully and securely.
Meanwhile, former US President Donald Trump, speaking from Scotland, openly contradicted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claim that there is no hunger in Gaza. “The hunger is real,” Trump stated after a meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, adding that Israel bears “great responsibility for the flow of aid.” He cited television images showing “children look very hungry” and announced plans for new “food distribution centers” in Gaza not surrounded by “barbed wire,” aiming to feed children and civilians in what he described as a “slaughterhouse” now needing “food and safety.” Trump also blamed Hamas for holding Israeli hostages as “human shields” and accused Iran of sending “negative messages” that derailed recent ceasefire talks in Doha. Nevertheless, he affirmed a ceasefire remains “possible” and publicly urged Netanyahu to “end” the military escalation.
Starmer echoed Trump’s concern, labeling the humanitarian crisis in Gaza an “absolute catastrophe.” The European Commission responded by proposing a partial suspension of Israel’s access to the EU’s Horizon research funding program. On recognizing a Palestinian state, Trump avoided taking a stance but acknowledged the UK’s right to its own position.
On the ground, despite a partial resumption of aid following pressure on Israel, the death toll attributed to hunger or renewed IDF raids in parts of Gaza continues to rise. Violence by Israeli settlers, allegedly with army cover, has also resurged in the West Bank, including attacks in the Christian Palestinian village of Taybeh involving racist slogans and property destruction denounced by Catholic sources as “terroristic.” These developments have prompted prominent Israeli peace groups B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights to break a taboo by using the term “genocide” in their protests over Gaza.