Hamas refuses to disarm until Palestinian state recognised
The Palestinian terror group said in a statement on Saturday that its 'armed resistance…cannot be relinquished except through the full restoration of our national rights, foremost among them the establishment of an independent, fully sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital'.
It comes after the UK, France, and Canada all vowed to recognise Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly in September this year.
Sir Keir Starmer said the step would be taken next month unless Israel met a series of conditions, including ending the 'appalling' situation in Gaza.
The Prime Minister was criticised for failing to impose any conditions on Hamas, including that the remaining 50 hostages be released.
Hamas's statement also came after Arab states called on the terror group to disband and disarm amid the global push for a Palestinian state, and for an end to the war in Gaza.
'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 objectives of a sovereign and independent Palestinian state,' said the declaration by the Arab League of Nations.
It was also signed by all 27 European Union states and 17 other countries, including Britain.
While Hamas has previously called for a Palestinian state, it envisages an Islamic state across modern-day Israel, which it does not recognise.
Indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel aimed at securing a 60-day ceasefire in the Gaza war and deal for the release of hostages ended in deadlock last week.
Sir Keir insisted this week that he was listening to the hostages' families but said he still intends to recognise a Palestinian state unless Israel commits to a ceasefire and two-state solution.
He told ITV that while the hostages should be released, the UK needed to do 'everything we can to alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, where we are seeing the children and babies starving for want of aid which could be delivered.
'That is why I've said unless things materially change on the ground, we'll have to assess this in September, we will recognise Palestine before the United Nations General Assembly in September.'
The UK's announcement prompted anger from Emily Damari, the British-Israeli hostage who was held captive by Hamas for hundreds of days.
She accused the Prime Minister of 'not standing on the right side of history' and that she was 'deeply saddened' by his announcement.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, hospitals in Gaza reported the killing of more than a dozen people, including eight seeking food, after Israeli fire on Saturday.
Yahia Youssef, who sought aid at a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) site, said he saw people lying on the ground bleeding: 'It's the same daily episode.'
The controversial US and Israeli-backed GHF said 'nothing happened at or near our sites'.
It follows weeks of reports that food-seekers face being shot at, stabbed or trampled to death during rushes to get hold of vital life-saving aid. Israeli soldiers have been accused of shooting at civilians in Gaza, but they insist Hamas infiltrated the aid drops.
Countries such as Jordan, the UK and France have co-ordinated to airdrop vital aid into the war-torn enclave, though restrictions have been in place about what reporters aboard the planes are able to show.
The Washington Post, however, published a number of photos showing parts of the Gaza Strip that have been decimated by Israel's relentless bombing campaign.
Countless buildings have been flattened, partially or totally destroyed, with hundreds of thousands of Gazans forced to live in makeshift tents wherever there is space. The enclave's skyline is blackened, with smoke pouring out of some buildings.
The war in Gaza began when Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7 2023, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians.
Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which doesn't distinguish between militants and civilians and operates under the Hamas government.
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