Brasília [Brazil], July 7: Brazil's president says the world must act to stop what he describes as an Israeli "genocide" in Gaza as leaders from 11 emerging BRICS nations gathered in Rio de Janeiro.
"We cannot remain indifferent to the genocide carried out by Israel in Gaza, the indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians and the use of hunger as a weapon of war," President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told leaders from China, India and other nations on Sunday.
His comments came as Gaza truce talks between Israel and Hamas resumed in Doha and as pressure mounted to end the 21-month war, which began with Hamas's October 7, 2023, attacks in southern Israel.
Lula said "absolutely nothing could justify the terrorist actions" on that day, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly Israeli civilians.
But he also offered fierce criticism of Israel's subsequent actions. Israel's military campaign has killed at least 57,418 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians.
BRICS countries have been in disagreement over how strongly to denounce Israel's bombing of Iran and its actions in Gaza.
Source: Qatar Tribune
