France to officially recognize Palestine as a state
French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that France will recognize Palestine as a sovereign state, hoping that the move will help bring peace to the region.
In a statement published on the X platform, Macron announced that the decision will be made official at the UN General Assembly in September.
"In line with France's historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognize the state of Palestine," Macron wrote.
He also called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages and humanitarian aid for the Palestinian people, while also demanding the disarmament of Hamas.
UN: More than 1,000 Palestinians killed while searching for food in Gaza
The United Nations Human Rights Office reported on Tuesday that more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since May, most near aid distribution points, as they tried to secure food in Gaza.
Of the total 1,054 casualties reported since the end of May, 766 have been killed near sites managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US-based organization.
The US-registered GHF, with Israeli backing, was established in February to distribute aid from four centers in Gaza, replacing the previous UN distribution system.
Iran open to nuclear talks with US, but wants guarantees
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Thursday that Iran is ready to enter into talks with the United States over its nuclear program, but only if Washington takes significant steps to rebuild trust.
On Friday, Iranian officials are expected to meet in Istanbul with representatives of Britain, France and Germany (E3), as well as the European Union's high representative for foreign policy.
This will be the first meeting since the 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel in June, during which US B-52 bombers attacked Iranian nuclear facilities.
US withdraws negotiating team from Qatar: "Hamas is not showing will for peace"
President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, announced on Thursday that the US is withdrawing its negotiating team from Qatar and temporarily suspending ceasefire talks in Gaza.
"While the mediators have made great efforts, Hamas is showing neither coordination nor goodwill to achieve a ceasefire," Witkoff said in a statement.
"We will now consider other options to return the hostages home and create a more stable situation for the people of Gaza."
It was not clear what the "other options" the US is considering were.
