10. Pressure Hamas to Renounce the Use of Violence

Hamas has unreservedly refused to adhere to the Quartet principles of recognizing Israel, agreeing to abide by past diplomatic agreements, and renouncing violence, all of which are enshrined in UN Security Council Resolution 1850. Renouncing violence is a required first step beyond which the international community cannot move until Hamas fulfills this most basic of conditions. Refusing to do so makes not only Palestinian reconciliation and a permanent status agreement impossible to achieve, it makes basic rehabilitation of Gaza and even interim political arrangements more difficult. All parties in the region—including those that have leverage with Hamas, such as Turkey and Qatar—must demand that Hamas conform to the principle of non-violence.