Share

Hamas attacks don't justify killing 'millions of innocents': Lula

accreditation
0:00
play article
Subscribers can listen to this article
  • Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula said the conflict had exposed the "weakness" of the United Nations.
  • He called for talks to set up a humanitarian corridor for the besieged Gaza Strip and broker a peace deal in which "Israel keeps its territory and the Palestinians have theirs."
  • Israeli authorities say 1 400 people were killed and more than 200 taken hostage in the Hamas attack.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Tuesday the "terrorist attack" by Palestinian militants against Israel on 7 October did not justify killing "millions of innocents" in Gaza.

"Just because Hamas committed a terrorist attack against Israel doesn't mean Israel has to kill millions of innocents," the veteran leftist said in his weekly live address on social media.

Thousands of civilians have been killed on both sides since the conflict began when Hamas fighters stormed across the border, indiscriminately killing civilians in the deadliest attack since Israel was created in 1948.

In retaliation, Israel has launched a relentless campaign of air strikes on the Gaza Strip, cutting off supplies of water, electricity and food to the territory.

The UN Security Council is set to hold a new meeting on the conflict Tuesday, after failing to pass two resolutions aimed at brokering a ceasefire, including one put forward by Brazil.

READ | Hamas releases two female captives; source says they are elderly Israelis

Da Silva, whose country currently holds the rotating Presidency of the Security Council, said the conflict had exposed the "weakness" of the United Nations.

"If the UN were stronger, it could play a bigger role" in brokering a stop to the fighting, he said.

Da Silva called for talks to set up a humanitarian corridor for the besieged Gaza Strip and broker a peace deal in which "Israel keeps its territory and the Palestinians have theirs."

Israeli authorities say 1 400 people were killed and more than 200 taken hostage in the Hamas attack.

The Hamas-run health ministry says 5 791 Palestinians have since been killed across Gaza in Israel's bombardments.

Da Silva's weekly address was the first since he took a three-week break after undergoing hip surgery.


We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should the Proteas pick Faf du Plessis for the T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States in June?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Faf still has a lot to give ...
67% - 1014 votes
No! It's time to move on ...
33% - 490 votes
Vote
Rand - Dollar
18.76
+1.4%
Rand - Pound
23.43
+0.3%
Rand - Euro
20.08
+0.2%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.25
+0.3%
Rand - Yen
0.12
+0.2%
Platinum
924.10
-0.0%
Palladium
959.00
+0.1%
Gold
2,337.68
0.0%
Silver
27.19
-0.0%
Brent Crude
89.50
+0.6%
Top 40
69,358
+1.3%
All Share
75,371
+1.4%
Resource 10
62,363
+0.4%
Industrial 25
103,903
+1.3%
Financial 15
16,161
+2.2%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE