Lula condemned the Gaza war in Egypt. Brazilian President calls Israeli attack “collective punishment” against Palestinian civilians

President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da SilvaHe condemned it in Cairo on Thursday Israel’s military attack against Hamas in Gaza StripIt was described as “collective punishment” against the Palestinian civilian population.

“It is necessary to stop the killings,” Lula announced before an Arab League meeting after meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. “Enough of the collective punishment,” the progressive leader said.

International warnings about the extent of Israel’s response to the attack by Islamic militants have multiplied in recent weeks. About 1,160 people died on October 7.most citizens, and Based on official Israeli figures, they kidnapped about 250 people in the south of the country.

Bombings and counter-ground operations against Hamas, which rules Gaza, have reduced much of the Palestinian territory to rubble and They left at least 28,663 people dead, According to figures from the Palestinian authorities, mostly women and minors.

The international community now fears that Israel will attack from land The city of Rafah, at the southern end of the strip, where about 1.5 million people live in miserable conditions

Most were displaced by the war.

Without a Palestinian state “there will be no peace”.

International mediators are pushing for a new ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, following a deal in November that allowed the exchange of up to 100 hostages for Palestinian prisoners in Israel. Israel estimates that about 130 Palestinians remained in the hands of the Islamist group and 29 of them died in captivity.

“The most urgent task is to establish a permanent ceasefire that allows sustainable and uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian assistance (for Gaza) and “Immediate and unconditional release of hostages”Lula announced.

The Brazilian leader stressed, “There will be no peace until there is a Palestinian state within mutually agreed and internationally recognized borders, including the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, with East Jerusalem as its capital.” Will happen.”

The leftist president of the main Latin American power confirmed in November that Hamas “committed a terrorist act” in the October 7 incursion., But that “the State of Israel is also committing numerous acts of terrorism, Ignoring the fact that neither children nor women are at war.

Similarly, Lula defended Palestine’s presence as a full member of the United Nations in Cairo. “There is no longer any excuse to prevent Palestine from joining the United Nations as a full member,” the Brazilian politician said before representatives of the 22 states that make up the Arab League.

He said the decision on the existence of an independent Palestinian state was made by the United Nations 75 years ago and now is the time to resume peace talks, which he defined as a universal cause that has the support of Brazil.

“The crackdown on the ground in the already overpopulated Rafah region signals new disasters and is contrary to the spirit of the (International Court of Justice’s) precautionary measures. It is imperative to end the genocide. Brazil’s position is clear,” he said. Insisted.

resources for the united nations

The Brazilian President announced that his government will make a new contribution of resources to the United Nations Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), without specifying the amount, while maintaining its contributions from all countries “since the recent allegations against the agency”. It has been urged to keep and strengthen. There should be an investigation by the authorities, but they cannot obstruct its work.”

Egyptian presidential spokesman Ahmed Fahmy said the discussions between Presidents Sisi and Lula focused on “joint coordination in international forums, taking into account the regional weight of both countries.”

Lula’s visit to Cairo coincided with the celebration of the centenary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Lula, who is making his third visit to Africa since returning to power in January 2023, will later travel to Addis Ababa, where he will attend the African Union annual meeting as a guest on the 17th and 18th.

According to Brasília, it will also be an opportunity to meet with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to discuss the conflict in the Middle East.

Besides, Egypt and Ethiopia are among the new members who have just joined BRICSA group of emerging countries that previously included only Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.