RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil: The Brazilian government, under President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, has condemned the recent Israeli airstrikes on southern Gaza, urging the international community to speak out against the violence.
In a statement released on Sunday, the presidency described the latest bombings as “unacceptable,” emphasizing that the world must not remain silent in the face of ongoing bloodshed.
“The most recent bombing in the Gaza Strip, which claimed the lives of hundreds of innocent people, is unacceptable,” the statement read. The health ministry in Gaza, governed by Hamas, reported that at least 92 people were killed and 300 wounded in an Israeli strike on Al-Mawasi, a designated “safe zone.”
Additionally, the civil defence agency reported 20 deaths from an airstrike on a makeshift mosque at the Al-Shati refugee camp in northern Gaza. Another 15 individuals were killed on Sunday in a school sheltering displaced persons, according to the agency.
President Lula’s statement decried the collective punishment of the Palestinian people, highlighting the extensive civilian casualties in designated humanitarian zones. “Tens of thousands have already died in successive attacks since last year,” the statement noted, calling on global democratic leaders to take a stand against the violence.
In response to the bombings, Hamas has withdrawn from Gaza ceasefire negotiations. Brazil previously escalated diplomatic tensions by withdrawing its ambassador from Israel in May, following accusations from President Lula that Israel’s actions amounted to genocide. Israel reacted strongly, declaring the Brazilian leader persona non grata.
The conflict in Gaza was ignited by a Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, primarily civilians. Hamas also took 252 hostages, with 116 still held in Gaza, including 42 that the Israeli army believes are deceased. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has led to the deaths of at least 38,584 people in Gaza, the majority of whom are women and children, as reported by Gaza’s health ministry.
The Brazilian government’s condemnation reflects growing international concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and calls for an urgent global response to end the violence and protect civilians.
