In September 2025, several countries, including the UK and France, formally recognised a Palestinian state at the UN in an attempt to put pressure on Israel to end the conflict – a move Israel described as a “reward for terrorism”.
About 75% of the UN’s 193 members states now formally recognise Palestine, including four of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.
It leaves the US – Israel’s strongest ally – in a minority of one, but under Donald Trump its foreign policy has leaned heavily in favour of Israel.
The US president warned Hamas it would face “complete obliteration” if it insisted on staying in power in Gaza, and after days of intense negotiations in Egypt, Hamas confirmed it was agreeing to the first phase of his peace deal.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it “a great day for Israel” which would “bring all our dear hostages home”.
Hamas said the deal would “end the war in Gaza”, “ensure the complete withdrawal” of Israeli forces, allow the entry of humanitarian aid, and implement an exchange of the hostages for Palestinians in Israeli jails.