Armenia announced today, Friday, June 21 that it would recognise the Palestinian state, leading Israel to summon its ambassador for a "severe reprimand", reports AP.

As per the report, dozens of countries have recognised Palestine, but major Western powers have not done so yet. Palestinians see these recognitions as supporting their struggle, especially amid international criticism of Israel's prolonged war against Gaza. International criticism has only grown in the last nine months over the campaign of systemic destruction in Gaza and a huge cost in civilian lives.

In Gaza, the head of a major hospital reported 250 children suffering from malnutrition due to severe food shortages, with numbers rising daily. The ongoing conflict has severely restricted the flow of food, medicine, and basic goods, making Gaza reliant on aid. Efforts to secure an aid route have been thwarted by lawlessness, impeding aid distribution.

The war, which began after Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel, has resulted in heavy casualties and destruction. Over 37,100 Palestinians have been killed, and Israel's military operations continue amidst calls for a ceasefire. The conflict has also led to a humanitarian crisis, with widespread hunger and disease due to inadequate resources and infrastructure damage, reports AP