Overview

• Canada will recognize a Palestinian state at the U.N. General Assembly in September, joining the U.K. and France in escalating diplomatic pressure on Israel.
• Prime Minister Mark Carney said the move hinges on Palestinian Authority demilitarization, exclusion of Hamas from 2026 elections and broader governance reforms.
• Israel has maintained that any ceasefire or hostage release deal requires Hamas to disarm, with security cabinet member Zeev Elkin warning that annexing parts of Gaza could be used as leverage.
• The UN’s food security body warns Gaza is in a worst-case famine, with starvation and disease driving a rise in civilian deaths despite limited humanitarian pauses and airdrops.
• Gallup polls show American support for Israel’s military operations has declined and some U.S. lawmakers have begun labeling the humanitarian crisis in Gaza “genocide.”