PARIS (Dispatches) – French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has reaffirmed his country’s “determination to recognize the State of Palestine,” underscoring the urgent need for international action in light of the worsening humanitarian situation in the besieged Gaza Strip.
Speaking in an interview with LCI news channel, Barrot denounced the killing of hundreds of Palestinian aid seekers by Zionist troops in Gaza, calling it “a disgrace and an affront to human dignity.”
The top French diplomat noted that at least 500 Palestinians were killed and around 4,000 others injured in May alone while trying to access food aid in the besieged Strip.
He affirmed that both France and the European Union are ready to support safe and fair food distribution efforts in Gaza.
Barrot then sharply criticized the Tel Aviv regime’s current approach, stating that, outside the oversight of the United Nations and international organizations, Zionist regime troops — supported by the United States — have carried out a limited aid distribution plan since May 27, during which the troops have opened fire on Palestinians waiting for food.
He noted that this tactic effectively forces civilians to choose between “starvation or being shot.”
“There is no justification for the continued Israeli attacks on Gaza,” Barrot said. “We are committed to recognizing the State of Palestine, and this will happen as part of a joint initiative that encourages all parties to create the necessary conditions for the establishment of that state.” 
In a related development, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty stressed the need to broaden international recognition of the State of Palestine, based on the June 4, 1967, borders with East Al-Quds as its capital, as the only path toward lasting peace, security, and stability in the region.
During a meeting in Cairo on Sunday with Christophe Bigot, the EU Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process, Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt’s support for a so-called two-state solution and expressed hope for the convening of an international conference dedicated to resolving the Palestinian issue through peaceful means.
The two officials also discussed the deteriorating situation in the occupied West Bank, as well as ongoing diplomatic efforts — in coordination with Qatar and the United States — aimed at securing a ceasefire in Gaza, facilitating a prisoner-captive exchange, and ensuring the entry of humanitarian aid into the blockaded coastal territory.
More than 140 UN member states recognize the Palestinian state, with Spain, Ireland, and Norway joining the ranks last year.