Israeli strikes on Gaza kill at least 14 as some countries move to recognise Palestinian state

CAIRO, Sep 20: Israeli strikes killed at least 14 people overnight in Gaza City, health officials said, as Israel ramps up its offensive there and urges Palestinians to leave.
The strikes come as Western countries are increasingly fed up with the intensifying war in Gaza, with some moving to recognize Palestinian statehood at the gathering of world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly next week. In a statement Friday, Portugal’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said it will recognize a Palestinian state on Sunday. The Iberian country had previously announced its plans to do so but has now set an official date.
Portugal is among other Western nations, including the UK, France, Canada, Australia, Malta, Belgium and Luxembourg, expected to recognize Palestinian statehood in the coming days.
The latest Israeli operation, which started this week, further escalates a conflict that has roiled the Middle East and likely pushes any ceasefire further out of reach. The Israeli military, which says it wants to “destroy Hamas’ military infrastructure,” hasn’t given a timeline for the offensive, but there were indications it could take months. (AP)