Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Brazil’s Foreign Ministry issued a strong condemnation Saturday of Israel‘s plan to expand military operations into Gaza City, following the announcement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s government on Friday. The move has sparked international concern over the escalating humanitarian crisis in the region.
In a formal statement,the Brazilian government expressed its “deep regret” regarding the Israeli decision to broaden its operations within the Gaza Strip,specifically citing the impending incursion into Gaza City. Brasília warned that the expanded military actions would exacerbate the already dire humanitarian conditions facing Palestinian civilians in the territory.
The government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has called for the “complete and immediate withdrawal” of Israeli forces from Gaza. The statement reiterated Brazil’s urgent appeal for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages held by Hamas, and the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave.
President Lula previously voiced strong criticism of the situation in Gaza during the Brazil-hosted BRICS summit in rio de Janeiro in July, urging the international community not to remain “indifferent” to what he characterized as a “genocide” unfolding in the region. The BRICS nations – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – have collectively called for a de-escalation of the conflict.
The decision to occupy Gaza City, announced after a meeting of Netanyahu’s security cabinet on friday, comes after nearly two years of conflict stemming from the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. That initial attack resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths and the abduction of over 240 hostages, according to Israeli authorities. Since then, Israel’s military response has resulted in over 36,000 Palestinian deaths in Gaza, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, a figure that includes women and children. The United Nations and other international organizations have repeatedly warned of the risk of famine and widespread disease in Gaza due to the ongoing blockade and military operations.
Numerous nations have joined Brazil in denouncing the planned occupation of Gaza City. The international community is increasingly focused on the potential for a large-scale humanitarian catastrophe and the need for a negotiated resolution to the conflict. Efforts to mediate a ceasefire, led by countries like Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, have so far yielded limited results.
