Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas has proposed new steps to end the Gaza conflict. He called on Hamas to surrender its weapons and allow Palestinian security forces to take control in Gaza. Abbas made this call in a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

He suggested that international forces should be sent to protect Palestinians, with a United Nations mandate. This proposal supports a larger goal: achieving peace through a two-state solution. A major conference on this topic is scheduled later this month at the UN.

Abbas stated clearly that Hamas must release all captives. He said the Palestinian Authority is ready to negotiate a final peace deal with Israel, under clear timelines and international supervision.

He also promised democratic reforms, including elections within a year. Abbas stressed that Palestine would not become a militarized state, focusing only on civilian security.

France welcomed these proposals as historic and serious efforts toward peace. President Macron supports recognizing a Palestinian state but wants key conditions met first, especially Hamas' disarmament.

Official recognition of Palestine by France would be a major policy change and could upset Israel, which opposes such moves without direct negotiations.