UNITED NATIONS, July 30. /TASS/. At least 17 countries, the European Union, and the League of Arab States have adopted the final document of the UN conference on the Palestinian issue initiated by Saudi Arabia and France, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud reported.

"On behalf of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the French Republic, and the other states that participated in the working groups of the High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution — the Federative Republic of Brazil, Canada, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Republic of Indonesia, Ireland, the Italian Republic, Japan, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the United Mexican States, the Kingdom of Norway, the State of Qatar, the Republic of Senegal, the Kingdom of Spain, the Republic of Turkey, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as well as the European Union and the League of Arab States, I am pleased to announce the adoption of the conference's final document," the top diplomat said.

According to him, the document contains comprehensive proposals for resolving the Palestinian issue through a series of political, economic, humanitarian, and legal measures. The foreign minister called on other countries to support this document before the end of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly.

In turn, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot emphasized that "Arab and Middle Eastern countries have for the first time condemned Hamas, condemned the events of October 7 [2023], called for Hamas' disarmament, its exclusion from the Palestinian governing system, and clearly expressed their intention to normalize relations with Israel in the future."

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from Gaza, killing residents of Israeli border settlements and taking over 250 hostages, including women, children and the elderly. Hamas described its attack as retaliation for the aggressive actions taken by Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City. In response, Israel declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip, home to 2.3 million Palestinians before the crisis, launching air strikes on Gaza as well as some parts of Lebanon and Syria before starting a ground operation in the Palestinian enclave.

On March 18, the Israeli army resumed fighting in the Gaza Strip, launching massive attacks on the Palestinian enclave and violating a ceasefire reached in January. During several rounds of negotiations mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, the parties to the conflict were unable to agree on the terms of a new agreement.