According to a statement from its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cairo said the "growing number of countries moving toward recognition is a historic step that supports the long-standing calls from Egypt and other Arab nations for a Palestinian state."
The Canadian and Maltese announcements come days after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron also pledged to recognise the Palestinian state formally.
Such steps are crucial for restoring the "legitimate and inalienable rights" of the Palestinian people, the ministry added.
The announcement by the four Western countries that they intend to recognise Palestinian statehood comes amid global outrage over the deaths of tens of Palestinians in Gaza from starvation due to a five-month-old total blockade on the strip.
The recent announcements step up pressure on Israel to end its war in Gaza and its settlement expansion in the West Bank.
Egypt also reiterated its call for all countries that have not yet recognised Palestine to do so "quickly."
Cairo urged nations to "stand on the right side of history" and contribute to the implementation of a two-state solution, establishing an independent Palestinian state based on the 4 June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
On Wednesday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela announced their nations’ intention to recognise the Palestinian state during a UN gathering in September.
To date, 147 of the 193 UN member states—roughly three-quarters—have recognised the Palestinian state.
Since the outbreak of Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, several countries such as Norway, Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia, and other non-European nations, have officially recognised Palestinian statehood, with other countries signalling they may follow suit.
There have even been calls for Palestine to be granted full membership to the UN, a move that would grant it the right to vote and fully participate.
Since 2012, Palestine has been granted non-member observer status at the UN
In May 2024, the UN General Assembly voted to expand Palestine's rights within the body, allowing greater participation in committee work, though without granting voting rights.
In its genocidal war in Gaza since October 2023, Israel has killed 60,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 150,000, mostly women and children.
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