UNITED NATIONS: Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas pledged at the United Nations on Thursday to work with US President Donald Trump, Saudi Arabia, France and the United Nations on a peace plan for Gaza.

Abbas addressed the annual gathering of world leaders on Thursday via video.

“Despite all that our people have suffered, we reject what Hamas carried out on Oct 7 — acts that targeted Israeli civilians and took them as hostages because such actions do not represent the Palestinian people nor their just struggle for freedom and independence,” Abbas said.

“We have affirmed and will continue to affirm that Gaza is an integral part of the State of Palestine, and that we are ready to assume full responsibility for governance and security there. Hamas will have no role in governance, and it must hand over its weapons to the Palestinian National Authority,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2025