The U.K. will recognize a Palestinian state if Israel doesn’t agree to a Gaza ceasefire
How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.
Diverging Reports Breakdown
UK To Recognise Palestine As A State In Sept Unless Israel Agrees To Gaza Ceasefire, Says PM Starmer
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Tuesday that Britain could officially recognise a Palestinian state as early as September. Starmer laid out clear conditions for Israel: “Britain will recognize a state of Palestine before the United Nations General Assembly unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza” Starmer also told Hamas to release all hostages, agree to a ceasefire, and “accept that they will play no part in the government of Gaza, and commit to disarmament” The Prime Minister made it clear that his government will review in September “how far the parties have met these steps” before deciding on the recognition.
According to a report by the Associated Press, Starmer summoned his Cabinet for an unusual summer meeting focused solely on the escalating crisis in Gaza. During this high-level session, he laid out clear conditions for Israel: “Britain will recognize a state of Palestine before the United Nations General Assembly unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, reaches a ceasefire, makes clear there will be no annexation in the West Bank, and commits to a long-term peace process that delivers a two state solution.”
Starmer also told Hamas to release all hostages, agree to a ceasefire, and “accept that they will play no part in the government of Gaza, and commit to disarmament.”
In a televised address following the Cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister made it clear that his government will review in September “how far the parties have met these steps” before deciding on the recognition.
Britain has traditionally backed the vision of an independent Palestinian state coexisting alongside Israel, though successive governments have maintained that official recognition should be part of a broader negotiated two-state solution.
The pressure for the UK to move toward formal recognition has grown rapidly. Just last week, French President Emmanuel Macron revealed his country’s intention to become the first major Western power to recognise a Palestinian state in September, intensifying calls for Britain to follow, AP reported.
Over 250 members of Parliament have signed a letter urging immediate recognition of Palestinian statehood.
Despite outlining a series of firm conditions, Starmer underscored Britain’s broader stance that “statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people.”
Starmer’s announcement comes a day after US President Donald Trump acknowledged “real starvation” crisis in Gaza, saying that the “children look very hungry”. He also said that US will set up food centers in Gaza.
“That’s real starvation stuff, I see it, and you can’t fake that,” Trump said. “We have to get the kids fed.”
“We’re giving money and things,” Trump said, adding that he wants to ensure Gazans get “every ounce of food.”
On being asked if Israel had done whatever it could to avoid aby civilian casualties, Trump replied: “Nobody’s done anything great over there. The whole place is a mess … I told Israel maybe they have to do it a different way.”
U.K. Could Recognize A Palestinian State If A Ceasefire Isn’t Reached
The United Kingdom’s Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has announced that they will recognize a Palestinian state if Israel doesn’t agree to a ceasefire by September. Starmer said he wants to see the Israeli government take what he called “substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza”
The announcement came just a day after Starmer met with President Trump, who says that starvation in Gaza is “real.” When asked about reported famine conditions in Gaza, Trump said, “I see it, and you can’t fake that. So we’re going to be even more involved.”
Now Starmer has spoken up, telling the press earlier that if he doesn’t see movement toward peace from Israel, the U.K. will officially recognize the State of Palestine. He said, “This includes allowing the U.N. to restart the supply of aid and making clear there will be no annexations in the West Bank.”
Starmer said he wants to see the Israeli government take what he called “substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza,” as well as agree to a ceasefire and commit to long-term peace.
He did make clear that this is in no way an endorsement of the terrorist organization Hamas, which has had control of the region in recent years, saying, “Our message to the terrorists of Hamas is unchanged and unequivocal. They must immediately release all the hostages, sign up to a ceasefire, disarm, and accept that they will play no part in the government of Gaza.”
The U.K. will recognize a Palestinian state if Israel doesn’t agree to a Gaza ceasefire
The U.K. will recognize a Palestinian state if Israel doesn’t agree to a Gaza ceasefire. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer: “This is the moment to act” Starmer also called on Hamas to release the hostages it seized in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. The announcement comes as international alarm grows over starvation and deaths in the Gaza Strip, after nearly 22 months of war between Israel and Hamas in the territory. The U.N.-backed food security group on Tuesday warned that the “worst-case scenario of famine” is unfolding, as the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in the war topped 60,000, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.”I’m not going to take a position. I’m looking for getting people fed right now,” says President Trump.
toggle caption Toby Melville/Pool Reuters/AP
The United Kingdom will recognize a Palestinian state by September unless Israel commits to peace in the Gaza Strip, stopping the annexation of the West Bank and other measures, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Tuesday.
This follows an announcement last week by French President Emmanuel Macron that France plans to recognize a Palestinian state in September at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Europe France will recognize a Palestinian state France recognizes Palestinian state Listen · 3:15 3:15
Starmer said he has long supported negotiations to establish a Palestinian state alongside Israel — known as a two-state solution — to help resolve Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“With that solution now under threat, this is the moment to act,” Starmer said in an address on Tuesday. “So today, as part of this process towards peace, I can confirm the U.K. will recognize the state of Palestine by the United Nations General Assembly in September unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, agree to a ceasefire and commit to a long-term, sustainable peace, reviving the prospect of a two-state solution.”
Sponsor Message
Starmer also called on Hamas — the militant and political organization that runs Gaza — to release the hostages it seized in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which prompted a full-scale Israeli military invasion of Gaza. He said Hamas should “sign up to a ceasefire, disarm and accept that they will play no part in the government of Gaza.”
The announcement came as international alarm has grown over starvation and deaths in the Gaza Strip, after nearly 22 months of war between Israel and Hamas in the territory. The war began with a Hamas-led attack in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which prompted a full-scale Israeli military invasion of Gaza. A United Nations-backed food security group on Tuesday warned that the “worst-case scenario of famine” is unfolding, as the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in the war topped 60,000, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
The Israeli government swiftly opposed Britain’s move to recognize Palestinian statehood. “The shift in the British government’s position at this time, following the French move and internal political pressures, constitutes a reward for Hamas and harms efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and a framework for the release of hostages,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
More than 140 countries, including several in Europe, already recognize Palestinian statehood. The U.K. and France — members of the Group of Seven leading economies — would be the biggest Western powers to do so.
The U.K. announcement follows a meeting Monday between Starmer and President Trump in Scotland, where the two discussed the war in Gaza and mass starvation in the territory as top issues.
When asked whether Starmer should join France in recognizing a Palestinian state, Trump told reporters: “I’m not going to take a position. I don’t mind him [Starmer] taking a position. I’m looking for getting people fed right now.”
After French President Macron announced his government would recognize Palestinian statehood, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on social media: “This reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda.” In a statement, the State Department said moves like France’s were “counterproductive gestures” that undercut U.S. diplomatic efforts on the war in Gaza.
Live updates: Starmer says UK to recognize Palestinian state unless Israel meets certain conditions
An increasing number of Palestinians in Gaza are starving to death as tons of food, clean water and medical supplies sit just outside the territory’s borders. Of 74 malnutrition-related deaths in 2025, 63 occurred in July – including 24 children under 5, a child over 5, and 38 adults. The World Health Organization (WHO) said the situation was “entirely preventable,” while pointing to Israel’s blockade on aid. Since Sunday, 14 people have starved to death in Gaza, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
An increasing number of Palestinians in Gaza are starving to death as tons of food, clean water and medical supplies sit just outside the territory’s borders, and aid agencies have warned that Gaza is as close to famine as it’s ever been.
For months, the United Nations has said that Palestinians are facing critical levels of acute food insecurity, and on Tuesday the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) initiative said that “the worst-case scenario of famine is unfolding.”
Of 74 malnutrition-related deaths in 2025, 63 occurred in July – including 24 children under 5, a child over 5, and 38 adults, the World Health Organization (WHO) said this week, noting that the situation was “entirely preventable,” while pointing to Israel’s blockade on aid.
“I don’t know what you would call it other than mass starvation, and it’s man-made, and that’s very clear,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denied that Palestinians in Gaza face starvation.
Since Sunday, 14 people have starved to death in Gaza, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
The following criteria need to be met for a famine to be determined, according to the IPC:
At least 1 in 5 households face an extreme food shortage
Roughly 1 in 3 or a higher proportion of children are acutely malnourished
At least 2 in every 10,000 people are dying daily (or at least 4 in every 10,000 children under 5 are dying daily) because of outright starvation or the interaction of malnutrition and disease.
Two of those thresholds have been reached in Gaza already, the IPC said Tuesday, adding that a new analysis is underway. The IPC does not declare a famine but provides an analysis to allow governments and others to do so.
“Many people will have died by the time a famine is declared,” it added.
The IPC has previously classified four places as being in famine: Somalia in 2011, South Sudan in 2017 and 2020, and Sudan in 2024.
Starmer says UK to recognize Palestinian state if Israel doesn’t agree to ceasefire, Hamas must ‘disarm’
“I can confirm that the U.S. will not be the first or the last to try to change the world by changing the world’s view of the world. “I would say not particularly, because those children look very much,” � “That�s not the first time I have to say,““This is not the last time I’m going to say it,�” and “that�s the first.”“The U.K. will make a decision on whether or not to make a change in the way they’re going to ‘feel’ or “think” the change is going to happen.“We can’t change the way we feel about the world, but we can change how we think about it.’’ “This includes allowing the US to be the place that the world is changing the way the world will be changing.� “It would be nice to have at least a little bit of the ‘world�’ to make the world feel a little better, but it would be a lot more than that.��
Starmer made the announcement during a press conference on Tuesday, just a day after meeting with President Donald Trump in Scotland and discussing the Israel-Hamas war and the hunger crisis in Gaza.
“I can confirm that the U.K. will recognize the State of Palestine by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September, unless the Israeli government take substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, agree to a ceasefire and commit to a long-term sustainable peace, reviving the prospect of a two-state solution,” Starmer told reporters. “This includes allowing the U.N. to restart the supply of aid and making clear there will be no annexations in the West Bank.”
“Meanwhile, our message to the terrorists of Hamas is unchanged and unequivocal. They must immediately release all the hostages. Sign up to a ceasefire, disarm and accept that they will play no part in the government of Gaza,” he continued.
NEWS OUTLETS ‘DESPERATELY CONCERNED’ FOR THEIR JOURNALISTS IN GAZA, URGE ISRAELI AUTHORITIES TO HELP
Trump declined to endorse Starmer’s move in a statement to reporters aboard Air Force One. He noted that both Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have now moved toward recognizing a Palestinian state.
“Essentially, they’re saying the same thing and that’s okay. But you know it doesn’t mean I have to agree,” Trump said.
Starmer said his government will make a final assessment ahead of the UNGA meeting to determine what steps both Israel and Hamas have taken and make a final decision on recognizing a Palestinian state.
The U.K. leader went on to say that the primary motive behind the announcement is to change the situation on the ground in Gaza as well as facilitate the release of more hostages.
Israel’s foreign ministry rejected Starmer’s announcement in a countering statement on Tuesday.
“The shift in the British government’s position at this time, following the French move and internal political pressures, constitutes a reward for Hamas and harms efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and a framework for the release of hostages,” the ministry said.
HAMAS LOSING IRON GRIP ON GAZA AS US-BACKED GROUP GETS AID TO PALESTINIANS IN NEED
The U.K.’s announcement comes just one day after Starmer met with Trump in Turnberry, Scotland, where both leaders condemned the humanitarian and hunger crisis in Gaza.
Trump publicly broke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the meeting, saying he disagreed that the hunger crisis is a false narrative put forward by Hamas.
“Based on television, I would say not particularly, because those children look very hungry,” Trump said when asked if he agreed with Netanyahu’s claims. “That’s real starvation stuff.”
Trump has highlighted America’s efforts to secure aid for Gaza, noting some $60 million the U.S. spent on the issue in recent days.
“We gave $60 million two weeks ago for food for Gaza, and nobody acknowledged it. Nobody talks about it. And it makes you feel a little bad when you do that,” Trump said during a Sunday meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. “And, you know, you have other countries not giving anything. None of the European countries, by the way, gave – I mean, nobody gave but us and nobody said, gee, thank you very much. And it would be nice to have at least a thank you.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Israel has begun conducting aid drops across Gaza in recent days, bending to pressure after months of restricting the flow of aid. The IDF had long said Hamas was stealing much of the resources being sent into the region, a statement Trump and the U.S. have echoed.