DEVELOPING: France Makes Historic Recognition of Palestinian State Official

Breaking News: France Recognizes Palestinian State France has formally recognized a Palestinian state, becoming the latest country to take this step. President Emmanuel Macron made the announcement at the UN in New York. The recognition comes as part of a one-day summit hosted by France and Saudi Arabia on plans for a two-state solution to the conflict. The G7 states Germany, Italy, and the US did not attend. Macron confirmed that Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, Andorra, and San Marino will also recognize a Palestinian state. This move follows similar recognitions by the UK, Canada, Australia, and Portugal on Sunday. The recognition is seen as a significant step towards international pressure on Israel over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and settlement building in the West Bank. This development comes amidst an unfolding humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where more than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed since 2008. The Israeli government has condemned the move, saying it would reward Hamas for its October 2023 attack that killed about 1,200 people. The French recognition is expected to be met with mixed reactions from the international community. This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available. *This is a developing story. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available. Based on reporting from Bbc.*