US President Donald Trump on Tuesday described a high-level meeting on the Gaza conflict as “very successful,” even as sharp disagreements persisted over the recognition of a Palestinian state.
Speaking to reporters after leaving the United Nations headquarters during the 80th UN General Assembly (UNGA), Trump said, “We had a very good meeting concerning Gaza. It was a very successful meeting with all the big players, except for Israel. But that’s going to be next.”
During his address to the General Assembly, Trump criticised moves by some countries to unilaterally recognise a Palestinian state, calling it a “reward for Hamas” amid continuing conflict. He reiterated calls for a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and immediate negotiations to end the war. “We have to stop the war in Gaza immediately… We have to negotiate peace,” he stressed.
His remarks came after several European nations announced their decision to recognise a Palestinian state, a largely symbolic step that has nevertheless added to Israel’s diplomatic isolation. The US, however, continues to oppose such recognition at this stage.
Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas addressed the UNGA via video link, insisting that the Palestinian Authority alone should govern Gaza. He urged Hamas and other factions to surrender their weapons, saying, “What we want is one unified state without weapons, a state with one law and one legitimate security force.” Abbas also called for an immediate ceasefire, full humanitarian access, release of all hostages and prisoners, withdrawal of Israeli forces, and urgent reconstruction of Gaza and the West Bank.
He tied this vision to the UNGA’s New York Declaration adopted in July, which supports an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, coexisting peacefully alongside Israel.
Abbas condemned both Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attacks—which killed 1,200 people in Israel—and Israeli military actions that have, according to Gaza health authorities, resulted in more than 65,000 deaths. He also denounced Israeli settlement expansion, annexation policies, and attacks on holy sites, warning they posed a direct threat to regional and global security.