Britain was set on Sunday to recognise a Palestinian state with a landmark announcement due from Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as several nations were poised to follow at UN talks to pressure Israel over the Gaza war.

Starmer "will set out the position later on today", his deputy David Lammy told the BBC on Sunday, stopping short of confirming UK media reports that there would be full recognition of a Palestinian state.

Portugal's foreign ministry also said in a statement that Lisbon would "recognise the State of Palestine" and that "the official declaration of recognition will be made on Sunday, September 21."

The UK would become the first G7 country to take the step with France and others expected to follow at the annual UN General Assembly which opens on Monday in New York.

'Burden of responsibility'

Under brutal Israeli attacks, the besieged Palestinian territory has suffered vast destruction, a spiralling death toll and a lack of food that has sparked a major humanitarian crisis.

The UK government has come under increasing public pressure to act, with thousands rallying every month on the streets. A poll released by YouGov on Friday showed two-thirds of young Britons aged 18-25 supported Palestinian statehood.

Lammy acknowledged at the UN in July that "Britain bears a special burden of responsibility to support the two-state solution."

Over a century ago, the UK was pivotal in laying the groundwork for the creation of the state of Israel through the 1917 Balfour Declaration.

'Recognition not symbolic'

Three-quarters of UN members already recognise Palestinian statehood, with at least 145 of the 193 having taken the step or announced plans to do so, including the pledges from France, Canada, and Britain, according to an AFP tally.

Starmer said in July that his Labour government intended to recognise a Palestinian State unless Israel took "substantive" steps including reaching a ceasefire in Gaza.

Lammy told the BBC on Sunday that the Palestinian Authority – the civilian body that governs in areas of the West Bank – had been calling for the move for some time "and I think a lot of that is wrapped up in hope."

Palestinian foreign minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin told AFP last week: "Recognition is not symbolic."

'Clear message'

"It sends a very clear message to the Israelis on their illusions on continuing their occupation forever," he added.

Israel's brutal war on Palestinians in Gaza has killed at least 65,208 people, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the Gazan health ministry that the United Nations considers reliable.

Thousands of Israelis are calling on the international community to formally recognise a Palestinian state in a campaign which has gained 8,500 signatures on a petition to the UN.

By continuing the war, "we're only going to escalate the cycle of violence, bloodshed, and revenge we've been trapped within, not since October 7, but for a century," campaigner Maoz Inon said.