Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has called on the international community to act against what he described as Israel’s “genocide” in Gaza, during a summit of BRICS leaders held in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday.
Addressing leaders from 11 member countries, including China, India, Russia, and Iran, Lula condemned what he said was the indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians and the use of starvation as a weapon of war by Israel in Gaza.
“We cannot remain indifferent to the genocide being carried out in Gaza,” Lula declared, as negotiations resumed in Doha between Israel and Hamas aimed at securing a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict.
The war, now in its 22nd month, began after a deadly Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, which left 1,219 people dead—mostly Israeli civilians. While Lula denounced the terrorist acts committed by Hamas on that day, he also strongly criticized Israel’s response, describing it as excessive and inhumane.
“There is no justification for the terrorist actions of Hamas,” Lula said. “But we must also denounce the disproportionate and brutal response that has followed.”
The BRICS gathering includes nations with varied positions on the conflict. Iran, a staunch adversary of Israel, joined other members such as Russia—which maintains diplomatic ties with Tel Aviv—in hearing Lula’s appeal for stronger international intervention.
The summit highlighted the growing divisions and complexities in global diplomacy as world leaders grapple with one of the most contentious geopolitical crises in recent years.
