France and Saudi Arabia are reportedly developing a proposal to disarm Hamas, Bloomberg reported Thursday, citing sources familiar with the talks. According to those sources, Saudi officials have been in direct contact with Hamas leadership in an effort to secure the group’s demobilization and transition into a non-military political entity. While it remains unclear whether France has engaged Hamas directly—especially given the European Union’s designation of the group as a terrorist organization—both nations are said to be collaborating on a plan that would allow Hamas to retain limited political power in exchange for disarmament. The reported initiative aims to transform Hamas from an armed militant organization into a “purely political entity” that could continue playing a role in future Palestinian governance. The underlying theory, sources say, is that preserving some degree of influence could incentivize Hamas to give up its weapons voluntarily. The effort comes amid mounting tensions between French President Emmanuel Macron and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. France, along with Saudi Arabia, is co-chairing an upcoming United Nations conference in New York, where momentum is building for broader international recognition of Palestinian statehood—a move Israel firmly opposes. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot added fuel to the diplomatic fire earlier this week, calling Israel’s easing of aid into Gaza “totally insufficient” and demanding “immediate and massive” humanitarian relief. Meanwhile, France, Britain, and Canada issued a joint statement Monday opposing Israel’s ongoing military presence in Gaza and its continued expansion of settlements in the West Bank, warning that further measures could follow. Hamas, in turn, welcomed the statement, condemning what it described as Israeli “siege and starvation” tactics and accusing Jerusalem of pursuing a campaign of “genocide and displacement.” Recent revelations have further complicated the picture. According to The Wall Street Journal, documents obtained by Israeli forces suggest Hamas orchestrated the October 7 massacre in part to derail normalization talks between Israel and Saudi Arabia—talks that were nearing a breakthrough at the time. Earlier this month, Macron took direct aim at Netanyahu’s Gaza policy, calling it “shameful” in light of reports that half a million people are at risk of starvation. He also floated the possibility of increased European sanctions. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)