New York [US], September 23 (ANI): 'Deeply engaged' in efforts to secure a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday, stressing 'we have to stop the war in Gaza immediately'.

Addressing the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, he also stressed the immediate release of all hostages held in Gaza.

'We have to stop the war in Gaza immediately. We have to stop it,' Trump said. He pressed for urgent negotiations, adding, 'We have to get it done. We have to negotiate peace.'

Stressing the importance of recovering captives from Hamas, he continued, 'We have to get the hostages back. We want all 20 back. We have to get them back now. We want actually the 38 dead bodies back too.'

Trump argued that Hamas 'has repeatedly rejected reasonable offers to make peace,' a claim the Palestinian group has denied, while accusing Israel of blocking ceasefire agreements. He also reiterated that the recent recognition of a Palestinian state by several Western nations amounted to a 'reward' for Hamas.

While Trump rejected such recognition, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen used her address to reaffirm Europe's commitment to a two-state solution and announced new initiatives to back Palestine and rebuild Gaza. 'We will set up a Palestine Donor Group. Because any future Palestinian State must be viable also from an economic point of view. And we Europeans will set up a dedicated instrument for Gaza's reconstruction. Gaza must be rebuilt,' she said.

Highlighting Europe's role in supporting the Palestinian Authority, she stressed, 'When the night is darkest, we must hold fast to our compass, and our compass is the two-state solution. Since the beginning of this war, Europe has been the lifeline of the Palestinian Authority. But we must all do more.'

Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas also addressed the Assembly via video link, warning Hamas to surrender its weapons to the Palestinian Authority. 'The state of Palestine is the only entity eligible to assume full responsibility for governance and security in Gaza... Hamas will have no role in governing,' Abbas declared.

He linked this vision to the New York Declaration adopted by the UNGA in July, describing it as 'the beginning of an irreversible path' toward ending the humanitarian crisis and Israeli occupation. The declaration, he noted, envisions an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, living peacefully alongside Israel.

Abbas called for a permanent ceasefire, humanitarian access through the UN, the release of hostages and prisoners, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. 'The declaration stressed that the war against our people must come to an immediate and durable end,' he said, adding that reconstruction of Gaza and the West Bank should begin through the Cairo International Conference.

Condemning both Hamas's October 7 attacks and Israeli actions, Abbas said, 'We stress our condemnation of the occupation's crimes. We also condemn the killing and detention of civilians, including Hamas's actions on October the 7th, 2023.' He further criticised Israel's settlement expansion, annexation policies, settler violence, and attacks on Islamic and Christian holy sites, warning that 'the Israeli narrative on greater Israel... represents a direct threat to Arab national security and international peace.'

The session was co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, where French President Emmanuel Macron formally announced France's recognition of the state of Palestine.

According to Israel, 1,200 people were killed in Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, while more than 65,000 people have been killed in Gaza in Israel's counter-military strikes. (ANI)