Macron's plan to recognize Palestinian statehood has drawn swift condemnation

The United States and Israel have strongly criticized French President Emmanuel Macron following his announcement that France intends to recognize the state of Palestine.

Macron made the statement Thursday, with an official declaration expected in September, saying the move would advance peace efforts in the Middle East. Washington and West Jerusalem have condemned the pledge, warning that it would have the opposite consequences.

"This reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace," US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. "It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7," 2023, he said, referring to the date Gaza-based Hamas militants led a deadly assault on southern Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized Macron's decision, calling it an act that "rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became."

Qatar-mediated peace talks collapsed again this week, after the US and Israel pulled out of them, accusing Hamas of not acting in good faith.

Major Western news agencies have warned that their journalists in Gaza are facing starvation. BBC News, Agence France-Presse (AFP), the Associated Press and Reuters have called on Israel to allow foreign press access to the enclave.

Israel's far-right Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu said the government should not intervene as the residents of the enclave face starvation. "All of Gaza will be Jewish," he told local media.

West Jerusalem has denied allegations of obstructing humanitarian aid and blamed distribution problems on Hamas "looting" and what it described as United Nations inaction.

The initial incursion by Palestinian fighters in 2023 killed approximately 1,200 people and led to the capture of dozens of hostages.

More than 59,000 people have been killed in Gaza as a result of Israel's miliary response, according to local officials, which critics have described as disproportionate and potentially genocidal. The conflict has since expanded to involve other nations, including Lebanon, Yemen, Syria and Iran, raising fears of a regional war.

Several countries have formally recognized the state of Palestine amid the ongoing conflict, including Spain, Norway, Ireland and Mexico.