A third was expected to join them.In images taken from the Israel-Gaza border, plumes of smoke could be seen rising above the city, which is the largest in the Gaza Strip. Large explosions were reported across the city.

With the president approaching 90 years of age and another possible candidate in jail, finding the right leadership would be a challenge

French Prime Minister Emanuel Macron on Sunday defended his country’s decision to recognize the state of Palestine amid the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel. In an interview with CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday, Macron told host Margaret Brennan that France wants “peace and security” for the region.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin said countries recognising a Palestinian state this week were taking an irreversible step that preserved the two-state solution and brought Palestinian independence and sovereignty closer.

France and Saudi Arabia hope to use this year’s United Nations General Assembly and the increasingly horrific war in the Gaza Strip to inject new urgency into the quest for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The UK has officially recognised a Palestinian state. Here's Sir Keir Starmer's announcement in full. In the face of the growing horror in the Middle East, we are acting to keep alive the possibility of peace and a two-state solution.

DescriptionThe quest for Palestinian independence is set to get a major boost as several diplomatic heavyweights are expected to recognize a State of Palestine.

The French president has rallied 142 nations behind a road map for a two-state solution after the Gaza war ends. Missing from the list: Israel and the United States.