Displaced Palestinians flee northern Gaza after Israeli forces ordered residents of Gaza City to evacuate to the south, on Monday.

Palestinians in Gaza reacted with a sense of optimism rarely seen these days over the news that Canada, Britain, Australia, France and Portugal have recognized the state of Palestine , raising hopes that the historic announcements will bring an end to the Hamas-Israel war and that the nearly 80-year quest for independent statehood may finally become a reality.

Despite Israel’s current offensive to capture Gaza City, which is suffering from famine, the widespread starvation elsewhere in the Gaza Strip, and the UN report last week that Israel is committing genocide there, neighbours happily spread the word among each other that some of the world’s most po

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