France has formally recognised a Palestinian state, becoming the latest in a wave of countries to take the step.
Speaking at the UN in New York, President Emmanuel Macron said the time for peace has come and that nothing justifies the ongoing war in Gaza.
France and Saudi Arabia are hosting a one-day summit at the UN General Assembly focused on plans for a two-state solution. G7 states Germany, Italy, and the US have refused to attend.
Macron confirmed that Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, Andorra and San Marino would also recognise a Palestinian state, after the UK, Canada, Australia and Portugal announced recognition on Sunday.
International pressure is ramping up on Israel over the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Gaza and settlement building in the West Bank.
Israel has said recognition would reward Hamas for the Palestinian armed group's October 7 attack on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people and resulted in 251 being taken hostage.
More than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry.
The French leader told the conference that the time had come to stop the war and free the remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas. He warned against the peril of endless wars and said right must always prevail over might.
The international community had failed to build a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, he said, adding that we must do everything in our power to preserve the possibility of a two-state solution that would see Israel and Palestine side by side in peace and security.
Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud also addressed the UN, on behalf of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, reiterating that a two-state solution was the only way to achieve lasting peace in the region.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres referred to the situation in Gaza as morally, legally and politically intolerable and stated that a two-state solution was the only credible path for peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the conference via videolink, calling for a permanent ceasefire and urging Hamas to surrender their weapons to the Palestinian Authority. What we want is one unified state without weapons, he declared.
He also condemned Hamas's October 7 attack on southern Israel, saying, Our future and yours depends on peace. Enough violence and war.
Macron stated that France was ready to contribute to a stabilisation mission in Gaza and called for a transitional administration involving the PA to oversee the dismantling of Hamas.
He confirmed that France would only open an embassy to a Palestinian state when all hostages held by Hamas are released and a ceasefire was agreed upon.
Israel's ambassador to the UN, Danny Dannon, spoke to reporters shortly before Macron's announcement, stating that a two-state solution was taken off the table after the October 7 attack and called this week's talks at the UN a charade.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted there will be no Palestinian state to the west of the River Jordan, while President Isaac Herzog said recognising one would only embolden the forces of darkness.
In a show of solidarity, Palestinian and Israeli flags were displayed on the Eiffel Tower, and several town halls in France flew Palestinian flags despite government orders to maintain neutrality.
Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian protests occurred in over 80 towns and cities across Italy, where the government warned that recognition of a non-existent state would be counter-productive.
In Germany, the government's position remains that Palestinian statehood is not currently up for debate, emphasizing that recognition comes at the end of the negotiations process.
