Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva strongly criticized Israel's military actions in the Gaza Strip, labeling them as "genocide" against Palestinians. Speaking at an African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Lula compared Israel's actions to those of Adolf Hitler against Jews, denouncing the disproportionate force used against civilians, particularly women and children. Lula also criticized the United States' decision to suspend aid to Palestinian refugees through the UN agency, UNRWA, and called for continued humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza.
In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz announced the summoning of Brazil's ambassador for criticism over Lula's remarks, reaffirming Israel's right to self-defense. The conflict escalated after Hamas carried out an operation against Israel, leading to a brutal Israeli offensive resulting in thousands of Palestinian casualties and a humanitarian crisis due to the blockade imposed on Gaza.
