Palestinians have had a mixed response to the news of four Western nations formally recognising a Palestinian state, as Israel continues to pound Gaza, and nations maintain their arms sales to Tel Aviv. Mona Abu Samra from the al-Zeitoun neighbourhood in eastern Gaza questioned what practical impact the formal recognition will have. "The world talks about recognising a Palestinian state, but I ask: did it take all this destruction and death in Gaza for the world to recognise us?" "I hear about countries recognising Palestine, and I wonder: why didn't they recognise us before we lost our children, our homes, and our farms? Did we have to pay this unbearable price for the world to admit that we deserve a state?"