UNGA: Abbas presses Hamas disarmament as Saudi pledges PA funding

The future of Gaza took centre stage at the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas decried Israel’s "war of genocide" and settlement expansion, while doubling down on calls to disarm Hamas in Gaza.

UN member states voted 145-5 to allow Abbas to address the international body remotely after the US barred more than 80 Palestinians from entering the country.

He also said that Hamas would have no role in a post-war governance of Gaza, a key condition of Israel and the United States.

However, Abbas and the PA administer the West Bank but not Gaza, and do not have a direct role in negotiations over a ceasefire or for the besieged enclave.

The comments drew an immediate response from Hamas. In a statement, the Palestinian group said: "The resistance’s weapons cannot be touched as long as the occupation remains on our land, and we condemn the PA president’s demand to hand them over."

Abbas also turned to Israel’s settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, condemning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s vision of a "greater Israel".

He warned that the planned E1 settlement project would "divide the West Bank into two parts, isolate occupied Jerusalem from its surroundings and undermine the two-state solution, in blatant violation of international law and relevant Security Council resolutions".

Saudi funding pledge

During the UN Assembly, Saudi Arabia announced the launch of a regional funding alliance to bolster the PA, with Riyadh pledging $90m in support.

The move comes as Arab states move to reinforce the PA’s role in any future settlement, positioning it as the legitimate authority in Gaza and the West Bank. Diplomats say the Saudi move is also linked to the growing momentum at the UN, where over 150 countries now recognise Palestinian statehood.

Alongside the Palestinian interventions, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said after meeting US President Donald Trump that the two had reached an "understanding" on how to achieve a ceasefire and lasting peace.

Erdogan repeated his view that Hamas is a resistance movement and accused Israel of genocide in Gaza.

Meanwhile, the US announced a new strategic nuclear energy partnership with Turkey and an agreement to reopen Iraq’s Kurdish oil pipeline to Ankara.

EU pressure grows on Israel

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni joined calls from several EU partners for sanctions on Israel, marking a significant shift from one of Europe’s most pro-Israel leaders.

European governments have faced mounting pressure after the UN Commission of Inquiry concluded Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. Meloni said coordinated action was needed to hold Israel accountable, signalling an unprecedented hardening of the EU stance.

The European shift came as Israel’s far-right ministers demanded annexation of the West Bank in retaliation for growing recognition of Palestine, a move the US has explicitly warned against.

All eyes remain on Netanyahu, who is set to address the Assembly on Friday following the recent wave of recognitions of Palestine and rising international calls for sanctions.

He is expected to push back strongly against the two-state solution while navigating pressure from the US to avoid further escalation.