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Former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair said that Hamas cannot continue to govern in Gaza and that Israel must allow for a new structure of governance to take shape in the territory.
Speaking at a conference in London, Blair said: “It’s been over a year since the October 7 assault on Israel by Hamas, which has left Israelis deeply scarred and traumatised, while the pursuant Israel-Hamas war has led to unprecedented Palestinian casualties, displacement and destruction in Gaza.”
The former Prime Minister made his comments in an address he delivered at Haaretz’s newspaper London conference titled “Israel after October 7: Allied or Alone?”
As Israelis cope with the anguish of the hostages remaining in Gaza and threats from multiple fronts, Palestinians face “an enduring, intolerable situation of repeated displacement, an increasingly dire humanitarian situation and a mounting death toll with no horizon visible for a better future,” Blair said.
He added that what is needed are “intensive diplomatic efforts to create the conditions that will bring the war to an end in a way that provides Israel with the security it needs, and Palestinians in Gaza with a different and better future.”
Blair also said that his institute commissioned a poll across the Palestinian territories about the attitudes of Palestinians toward the war, toward the Palestinian leadership, as well as toward the future of Gaza.
He continued: “Our poll demonstrated that the population in Gaza is seeking a change with the agency to govern themselves, and when asked which entity they preferred to govern Gaza immediately after the war, only seven percent of Palestinians in Gaza said they wanted Hamas to carry on governing Gaza.
“Gazans’ most popular choice was an administration made up of Gazan representatives that had international oversight and was linked to the Palestinian Authority.
“We also found that respondents in the West Bank and East Jerusalem are in strong agreement that the Palestinian Authority requires reform, with 81 percent of West Bankers stating that moderate to deep reform is required,” Blair continued.
“So what the poll highlighted is that Palestinians themselves are looking for a different future, and therefore it underlines the urgency of ending the conflict and establishing a new reality for Gaza, one which provides Israel with the security it needs, and Palestinians in Gaza with the ability to govern themselves effectively, and that is what we must all work towards.”
Labour MP Hamish Falconer, Under-Secretary of State for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, opened his speech at the conference by recounting his experience as a hostage negotiator for British citizens abducted by the Taliban. He expressed empathy for the “terrible horror” faced by hostage families and added, “The U.K. will continue to make every effort to secure the release of the hostages.”
The Hamas-led attack on October 7, he said, was “terrorism on a scale and brutality that few countries have ever experienced.” He added that “The only way we can end this is through a deal.”
Falconer also said that “We continue to support Israel’s right to defend itself against Iranian aggression, but we need to avoid further regional escalation, and we urge all sides to show restraint.” Iran should have its proxies stand down and “should not respond, and we will continue to work with allies to de-escalate the situation across the region.”
According to Falconer, the U.K. sanctions targeting Israeli settler organizations and individuals were “based on our absolute commitment to international law but also on our continued belief in a two-state solution,” and a response to “the serious abuse of Palestinian human rights.” The decision, he said, does not “weaken our support for Israel defending itself.”
He called for additional humanitarian aid to Gaza as well as “more robust vetting procedures” for UNWRA, amid reports that its members participated in atrocities of October 7. As winter approaches, Falconer said, Israel has a responsibility to ensure significantly more aid.
While Hamas embeds itself among civilians in hospitals and schools, “Israel must do its utmost to protect the civilian population and take all necessary precautions to avoid civilian casualties,” he said, adding that more aid needs to be brought in.
After Yahya Sinwar’s death, “it is time for a new chapter in Gaza,” Falconer continued. “We reiterate our call for the release of all hostages and immediate cease-fire and an increase in humanitarian aid.” Moreover, as the situation in Lebanon deteriorates, “we cannot let Lebanon become another Gaza.”
Falconer added: ”There is no place in our society for anyone who spreads hate. The government stands together against “antisemitism, Islamophobia and fear.”
The Haaretz conference was held in cooperation with JW3 – Jewish Community Centre London, New Israel Fund UK, Yachad, A Land for All, and Standing Together – groups largely dedicated to Israeli-Palestinian coexistence and a political solution to the Middle East conflict.