International Recognition: Belgium Intends to Affirm Palestinian Statehood in UN General Assembly

Belgium has announced its decision to recognize the State of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly, joining a growing number of Western countries calling for the same action. Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot made the announcement on Tuesday, citing the humanitarian tragedy unfolding in Gaza as the primary reason for the decision.

The recognition of Palestine is not intended as a punitive measure against the Israeli people, but rather as a means to pressure the Israeli government into respecting international and humanitarian law. This move comes amidst ongoing conflict, with Israeli forces preparing for an offensive to seize Gaza City, the largest urban centre in the Palestinian territory.

The offensive, if carried out, could target the city's over one million residents, many of whom are already facing severe hardships. The United Nations has declared a famine in Gaza, and the figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, considered reliable by the United Nations, show that Israel's war has resulted in a high number of civilian casualties.

Recent Israeli strikes in Gaza City have claimed the lives of at least 13 people, according to reports from Gaza's civil defence agency. Spokesman Mahmud Bassal stated that Israeli warplanes hit the top floor of a residential building in southwestern Gaza City, killing 10, while Israeli helicopters also struck an apartment in the west of the city, killing three and wounding several others.

The human toll of the conflict is significant. Israel's war has killed at least 63,557 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza. This includes the 1,219 lives lost in Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel.

France, too, has announced its intention to recognize a Palestinian state at the U.N. meeting in July, with President Emmanuel Macron making the announcement. More than a dozen other Western countries have also called on others to recognize a Palestinian state.

The recognition of Palestine is a significant step towards a potential resolution of the ongoing conflict, but it is just one piece of the puzzle. The international community must continue to work towards a peaceful solution that respects the rights and dignity of all parties involved.