President Donald Trump told the United Nations on Tuesday that he condemned moves by Western powers to recognize a Palestinian state, as the United States appeared increasingly isolated in its staunch support of ally Israel.

In a speech to the UN General Assembly, Trump said world powers should focus instead on securing the release of hostages held in Gaza, nearly two years after Hamas seized them in the deadly attack on Israel that triggered the Gaza war.

Israel has drawn global condemnation over its military conduct in Gaza, which has caused major destruction and where more than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to local health authorities. A global hunger monitor says part of the territory is suffering from famine.

France, Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal are among the countries that have recognized a Palestinian state in the last few days.

Their moves were borne out of frustration with Israel over its offensive and intended to promote a two-state solution, but have angered Israel and its close ally the United States.

"As if to encourage continued conflict, some of this body is seeking to unilaterally recognize the Palestinian state. The rewards would be too great for Hamas terrorists, for their atrocities," Trump said in his speech at the UN.

The U.S. and Israel boycotted a summit in New York on Monday convened by France and Saudi Arabia where dozens of world leaders gathered at the UN to embrace a Palestinian state.

What other world leaders told UN on Palestinian statehood

Many leaders used their speeches at the UN to back Palestinian statehood.

Officially recognizing Palestine for the first time, French President Emmanuel Macron said "The time for peace has come, as we are just moments away from no longer being able to seize it.

"The time has come to free the 48 hostages held by Hamas. The time has come to stop the war, the bombings of Gaza, the massacres and the displacement."

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said "This conference marks a milestone, but it's not the end of the road. It's only the beginning.

"The State of Palestine must be a full member of the United Nations. The process for the State of Palestine to join this organization must be completed as soon as possible, on an equal footing with other states."

"Second, we must take immediate measures to stop the barbarism and make peace possible."

No matter how many countries recognize Palestinian independence, full UN membership would require approval by the Security Council, where the U.S. has a veto that it frequently uses to oppose resolutions that are critical of Israel.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said his country "has acted in the interest of saving lives by insisting that the International Court of Justice should make a ruling that, indeed, genocide is being committed in Gaza and that it should stop."

Colombian President Gustavo Petro called for a more aggressive approach, demanding the creation of a "powerful army of countries that do not accept genocide" to establish a "peacekeeping force" in the region.

"Diplomacy has been tried in Gaza. It could not resolve the situation," Petro said. "Every day, there are decisions, resolutions, that are vetoed in the Security Council.

"Can we stop the genocide with a vote in the General Assembly? That's what we should do, rather than a vote in the Security Council, because that is vetoed."

Speaking at the Security Council later on Tuesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres backed the widespread moves for Palestinian recognition.

"This is the clearest path to a two-state solution: Israel and an independent, sovereign, democratic, viable and contiguous State of Palestine," he said. "We must seize this momentum."

Organizers say Gaza aid flotilla targeted by multiple drones 

Organizers of a Gaza-bound flotilla carrying aid and pro-Palestinian activists said Wednesday that several of their boats had been targeted by multiple drones.

The Global Sumud Flotilla said more than a dozen explosions were heard around the flotilla as it sailed off Greece late on Tuesday, with damage caused by "unidentified objects" dropped on deck.

"Multiple drones, unidentified objects dropped, communications jammed and explosions heard from a number of boats," it said.

Polish lawmaker Franek Sterczewski, who is on board one of the vessels, posted on X that there had been 13 attacks on a total of 10 vessels, including the one he is on.

"Three of the ships were damaged," he added.

German human rights activist and flotilla member Yasemin Acar said in a video she posted on Instagram that five vessels had been attacked.

"We are carrying only humanitarian aid," she said. "We have no weapons. We pose no threat to anyone. It is Israel who is killing thousands of people (and) starving a whole population."

In an earlier video, Acar said the activists had "sighted 15 to 16 drones", adding that their radios had been jammed as loud music was heard.

One video posted on the flotilla's official Instagram page showed an explosion it said it recorded from the vessel Spectre at 0143 GMT, while Brazilian activist Thiago Avila said four boats had been "targeted with drones throwing devices" just before another explosion was heard in the background.

The Global Sumud Flotilla set sail from Barcelona earlier this month with the aim of breaking the Israeli blockade of Gaza and delivering aid to the territory. It currently numbers 51 vessels, most of which are off the Greek island of Crete.

Vessels waiting to join the flotilla had already been targeted in two suspected drone attacks in Tunisia. Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was among those who boarded in the North African nation.

Israel, which blocked two previous attempts by activists to reach Gaza by sea in June and July, said Monday it would not allow the flotilla to reach the embattled Palestinian territory.