Hamas has welcomed the recognition of the State of Palestine by the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, describing the move as an overdue step toward affirming Palestinian rights. The group called on the international community to accompany symbolic recognition with practical measures to halt Israel’s war on Gaza.
In a statement on Sunday, Hamas said the recognitions underscored Palestinians’ right to their land, holy sites, and an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital. It added that the decision validates decades of Palestinian struggle and sacrifices in the pursuit of liberation and return.
Hamas urged global actors, including the United Nations, to impose punitive measures on Israel, end cooperation with its government, and pursue Israeli leaders for crimes against humanity. The group stressed that recognition must be tied to ending the genocide in Gaza and resisting Israeli annexation policies in the West Bank and Jerusalem.
The movement reiterated that Palestinian resistance is a lawful right under international law, calling on states to support Palestinians in achieving self-determination and sovereignty. Rights groups have long argued that Israel’s policies amount to ethnic cleansing and forced displacement, charges Israeli officials deny.
The announcements came as more countries signaled readiness to recognize Palestine. France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, Andorra, San Marino, and Portugal — which has pledged formal recognition this week — are expected to join the UK, Canada, and Australia. By the end of the UN General Assembly session, at least 147 of the 193 member states will formally recognize Palestine.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed his government’s recognition on social media, saying the move was meant to “revive hope for peace and a two-state solution.” However, he also announced further sanctions on Hamas leaders, insisting the group should play no role in future governance, a position that Hamas and its supporters criticized as undemocratic.
Israel condemned the wave of recognitions, with officials vowing retaliation. The developments mark a significant shift in international diplomacy, as four of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council — China, Russia, the UK, and soon France — will have recognized Palestine.
The decisions come nearly two years into Israel’s war on Gaza, which has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians, displaced over two million, and left much of the territory in ruins.
