In a chilling statement, Palestinian leader Ghazi Hamad publicly credited the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel for prompting several Western nations to recognize a Palestinian state.

“The recognition of a Palestinian state [by France, the UK, and Canada] is one of the fruits of October 7,” Hamad said in a televised address.

The comment has sparked outrage online and among international officials, with critics calling it a disturbing endorsement of political gains through terror and violence.

October 7 marks the deadly assault in which Hamas militants breached Israeli territory, killing civilians and sparking the ongoing war in Gaza. Western governments have justified recent recognition efforts as steps toward peace, but Hamad’s framing risks undermining those diplomatic moves by linking them directly to violence.

Analysts warn the statement could erode international support for Palestinian statehood by reinforcing concerns about legitimizing extremist tactics.