New York, September 27 (QNA) - San Marino has formally recognized the State of Palestine as a sovereign and independent nation within secure and internationally recognized borders, in line with United Nations resolutions, San Marino Foreign Minister Luca Beccari announced Saturday.

Speaking at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Beccari described the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank as "intolerable," calling it "one of the most painful and protracted tragedies of our time."

He emphasized the urgent need for a permanent cease-fire, the release of hostages, and unrestricted humanitarian access to affected civilian populations.

Beccari warned that continued Israeli settlement expansion and the destruction in Gaza threaten to erase the very possibility of peace. He noted that San Marino's parliament had unanimously mandated the government on May 15 to recognize Palestine within the year.

San Marino's move comes amid a wave of diplomatic recognitions of Palestine. Last Sunday, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Portugal announced their recognition, followed by Luxembourg, Belgium, Andorra, France, Malta, and Monaco.

With San Marino's decision, approximately 160 of the UN's 193 member states now recognize Palestine, following its declaration of statehood by the late President Yasser Arafat in Algeria in 1988.
This growing diplomatic momentum is widely seen as a response to the crimes committed by the Israeli occupation in the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023, which have resulted in over 66,000 deaths and more than 167,000 injuries, the majority among women and children. The worsening famine has claimed hundreds of civilian lives.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces and settlers continue their assaults in the occupied West Bank, where more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed and thousands more wounded or detained. (QNA)