US President Donald Trump, during his maiden speech on Tuesday to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) after starting his second term this year, called upon Hamas to release every hostage it was detaining and return the remains of all slain hostages to Israel.
He condemned the terrorist organization for contributing to the current Gaza crisis.
“As everyone knows, I’ve also been deeply engaged in seeking a ceasefire in Gaza. Unfortunately, Hamas has repeatedly rejected reasonable offers to bring peace,” he said on the Gaza conflict.
Terming the recognition of the state of Palestine by a majority of the members of the United Nations as a “reward” to the terror group, he stated, “We can’t forget October 7, 2023. Now, as if to encourage engineered conflict, some of these bodies are seeking to unilaterally recognise the Palestinian state.”
Trump's visit to the 80th session of the UNGA in New York takes place as world leaders increasingly express concern over the humanitarian condition of Gaza under sustained Israeli attacks.
Heever, as anticipated, reaffirmed his stand against Palestinian statehood recognition in his address.
While taking credit for bringing a close to seven wars in his first seven months at office in his second term, he attributed the existing Gaza attacks to Hamas.
In his address on the conflict in Ukraine, he recognized President Vladimir Putin as a principal player for ending the war but did not name Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the case of Gaza.
A total of 156 countries had already officially recognized the state of Palestine as of Trump's speech, after Monday statements from France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, and Andorra, and previous declarations by the United Kingdom, Portugal, Australia, and Canada.
The validation came as a welcome to Palestine but raised objections in Israel. Replicating Trump's comments, Jerusalem said that the validation of Palestine without the express condemnation of Hamas practically amounts to a prize for the terror organization, which launched the savage assault on the south of Israel on October 7, 2023.
The United Nations has 193 sovereign states as members. Palestine has the status of an observer, since its full membership was already vetoed by the United States, a member of the UN Security Council with veto power.
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