Catching Up: Gaza Humanitarian Crisis and the Recognition of Palestinian Statehood
Amidst this crisis, France announced its intention to formally recognize a Palestinian state in September, a move that has garnered both praise and condemnation.
Photo: Reuters
Overview
Date: July 25, 2025
Topic: International Response to the Gaza Humanitarian Crisis and the Recognition of Palestinian Statehood
Summary: Multiple articles highlight the escalating humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, marked by severe malnutrition and starvation, prompting urgent international calls for increased aid. Amidst this crisis, France announced its intention to formally recognize a Palestinian state in September, a move that has garnered both praise from Palestinian officials and condemnation or dismissal from the United States and Israel. The articles also detail the stalled ceasefire negotiations, with conflicting reports on their status and blame for their breakdown, while underscoring the growing pressure on other European nations, particularly the United Kingdom, to follow France’s lead in recognizing Palestinian statehood.
Sources
The New York Times - Macron Recognizes a Palestinian State. But to What End?
BBC - Almost a third of people in Gaza not eating for days, UN food programme warns
The Guardian - Severe malnutrition in under-5s has tripled at Gaza City clinic, charity reports
The Washington Post - France will recognize a Palestinian state. What does that mean?
NBC News - No formula, no food: Mothers and babies starve together in Gaza
Key Points
A severe humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Gaza, with widespread malnutrition and starvation, particularly affecting children and pregnant women.
International bodies and aid organizations are issuing urgent warnings about mass starvation and increasing deaths due to lack of food and aid access.
The United Kingdom, France, and Germany have issued a joint statement demanding Israel end the “humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza and lift restrictions on aid flow, emphasizing compliance with international humanitarian law.
France announced its intention to formally recognize a Palestinian state in September at the UN General Assembly, becoming the largest Western power and first G7 member to do so.
This decision by France is seen by some as a significant diplomatic move to pressure Israel and build momentum for a two-state solution, while also reflecting growing global outrage over the Gaza situation.
There is significant pressure on the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer to follow France’s lead in recognizing a Palestinian state, with many UK Members of Parliament advocating for the move.
Ceasefire negotiations have stalled, with the United States withdrawing its negotiators, leading to uncertainty about future peace efforts.
Both Israel and the United States have expressed opposition or skepticism regarding France’s recognition of Palestinian statehood and its practical impact.
Unique Highlights
EL PAÍS notes that the joint statement from the United Kingdom, France, and Germany specifically warned Israel against the “expansionist aspirations of members of its government and the settler movement they support,” and firmly opposed “all attempts to impose Israeli sovereignty in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.” It also details that over 200 UK MPs (221, according to the latest count) from Labour, Liberal Democrat, Scottish Nationalist, and some Conservative parties signed a letter demanding immediate recognition of a Palestinian state, referencing the historical significance of the Balfour Declaration.
The New York Times reveals that President Emmanuel Macron’s decision was influenced by his personal outrage after meeting injured Palestinian survivors from Gaza during a visit to Egypt in April. It also highlights the strong denunciation from the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions (CRIF), which called Macron’s decision “a moral transgression, a diplomatic error and a political danger.” The article also quotes US Ambassador Charles Kushner’s direct criticism on X, calling the decision “a gift to Hamas and a blow to peace.”
BBC provides specific figures from the UN World Food Programme (WFP), stating that almost one in three people in Gaza are going days without eating, and 90,000 women and children are in urgent need of malnutrition treatment. It reports that 122 people have died from malnutrition since the war began, with nine more deaths on Friday. The article also includes a claim from a US security contractor, Anthony Aguilar, who stated he “without question… witnessed war crimes” by the IDF and US contractors using live ammunition and artillery on civilians at food distribution sites.
The Guardian cites Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reporting that rates of severe malnutrition among children under five at their Gaza City clinic have tripled in the last two weeks, and the number of people needing care for malnutrition at that location quadrupled since May. It quotes an obstetrician-gynaecologist, Naji al-Qurashali, who estimates 50% of pregnant women he sees daily suffer from malnutrition, leading to increased miscarriages and babies born prematurely or with disfigurements. MSF explicitly blames an Israeli “policy of starvation” for the hunger crisis.
The Washington Post clarifies that France’s recognition, while symbolically significant, will not immediately change much for Palestinians in practical terms, as full UN membership requires US Security Council approval, which the US has previously vetoed. It notes that over 140 countries, including China, India, Malaysia, and Russia, recognized a Palestinian state decades ago, many in 1988. The article also explains that Macron’s announcement is not an endorsement of Hamas, as he called for the group’s demilitarization and backed the Palestinian Authority to govern Gaza post-conflict.
CNN details President Donald Trump’s shift from optimism about a ceasefire deal to urging Israel to “finish the job” against Hamas, citing Hamas’s perceived unwillingness to negotiate in good faith. It reports Trump’s frustration over his stalled attempts to broker peace deals in Gaza and Ukraine, which he links to his desire for a Nobel Peace Prize. The article also mentions Trump’s claim that the US contributed $60 million in aid, but notes an internal US government review found no evidence of widespread Hamas theft of US-funded humanitarian aid.
NBC News presents a poignant case study of Sela Majdi Barbakh, an 11-month-old weighing only 8 pounds due to malnutrition, and her mother’s inability to breastfeed or afford formula. It cites UN Population Fund (UNFPA) data showing a 41% decline in births in Gaza in the first six months of the year compared to 2022, and that at least 20 babies have died within 24 hours of birth. A volunteer nurse, Elidalis Burgos, claims she witnessed Israeli military personnel throwing away baby formula brought in by international aid workers, a claim denied by the IDF.
Contrasting Details
Responsibility for Aid Distribution: Israel (BBC, The Guardian, NBC News, CNN) claims there are no restrictions on aid entering Gaza and blames Hamas or the UN for distribution failures. Conversely, the UN (BBC, The Guardian, NBC News) and aid groups (The Guardian, NBC News) blame Israeli restrictions and blockade for the severe shortages and difficulties in aid delivery. Specifically, NBC News reports a nurse witnessed the Israel Defense Forces throwing away baby formula, which the IDF denied.
Status of Ceasefire Negotiations: President Donald Trump (CNN, The Guardian) and the US (CNN) have pulled negotiators, with Trump stating Hamas “didn’t really want to make a deal” and urging Israel to “finish the job.” However, Egypt and Qatar (CNN) and a senior Israeli official (CNN) state that negotiations have “not at all” collapsed and the suspension is “normal,” expecting talks to resume. Hamas (The Guardian) also denies responsibility for the breakdown, accusing Israel of stalling.
Effectiveness and Impact of France’s Palestinian State Recognition: Donald Trump (The New York Times, The Guardian, CNN) dismisses Macron’s announcement, stating it “doesn’t matter” and “doesn’t carry any weight.” US Ambassador Charles Kushner (The New York Times) explicitly called it “a gift to Hamas and a blow to peace.” In contrast, Shahram Akbarzadeh (The Washington Post) views it as a “clear signal” to the US, Israel, and the international community that the situation in Gaza is “unacceptable” and pushes for a diplomatic solution. Hamas (The New York Times, The Washington Post) welcomed the decision as a “positive step.”
United Kingdom’s Stance on Palestinian Statehood Recognition: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (EL PAÍS, The New York Times, BBC, The Guardian) has condemned the suffering in Gaza but indicated that UK recognition of a Palestinian state would not be imminent and would need to be part of a “wider plan” for a two-state solution. This contrasts with the strong internal pressure from over 200 UK Members of Parliament (EL PAÍS, BBC, The Guardian) who signed a letter demanding the British government “immediately recognize the Palestinian state.”
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