Brazilian President Lula accuses Israel of committing genocide

Tel Aviv [Israel], February 25 (ANI): Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, once again alleged that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians, as reported by The Times of Israel.
Last week, he raised controversy by comparing Israel's war with the Hamas terror group in Gaza to the Holocaust, "when Hitler decided to kill the Jews."
However, Israel rejected the genocide claims, adding that its war is targeting the "Palestinian terror group" Hamas, and not the Palestinian people, following its October 7 massacre across southern Israel.
It has held Hamas responsible for civilian deaths and accused the terror group of deliberately operating from civilian areas and using the local population as human shields, according to The Times of Israel.
Brazil President Lula posted on social media on Saturday that he will not give up his "dignity for falsehood."
"What the Israeli government is doing is not war, it is genocide. Children and women are being murdered," he stated.

Da mesma forma que eu disse quando estava preso que eu não aceitaria acordo para sair da cadeia e que eu não trocaria a minha liberdade pela minha dignidade, eu digo: não troco a minha dignidade pela falsidade. Eu sou favorável à criação do Estado Palestino livre e soberano. Que…

— Lula (@LulaOficial) February 23, 2024

However, last week, Israel responded with outrage to Lula's comments, calling them "shameful," and declaring him "persona non grata," which means, unacceptable, according to The Times of Israel.
Further, Jerusalem also summoned Brazil's ambassador for a rebuke and demanded an apology.
In response, Brazil recalled its ambassador for talks, and Israeli Ambassador Daniel Zonshine was himself summoned for a reprimand.
Notably, Israel has been fighting Hamas in response to the deadliest attack on its territory, when thousands of Hamas terrorists broke through the border on October 7 and killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, amid acts of brutality and sexual violence, The Times of Israel reported.
They also abducted 253 Israeli civilians into Gaza, over 100 of whom remain captive -- some not alive -- following a temporary truce in late November that freed 105 hostages.
Israel has repeatedly claimed that Hamas is using Palestinian civilians as human shields, including by locating operations bases under hospitals, launching rockets from schools and shelters, building tunnel shafts under children's bedrooms, storing weapons in and around schools and mosques, and more, amid the ongoing war.
Moreover, captured Hamas terrorists have confirmed some of the human shield claims, and explained that they know Israel will not target hospitals, medical centres or facilities.
Israel has also stressed that they will end the war if Hamas releases the remaining hostages and surrenders, as reported by The Times of Israel.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to Lula's previous comments, and said, "The words of the President of Brazil are shameful and alarming. This is a trivialization of the Holocaust and an attempt to harm the Jewish people and Israel's right to defend itself."
"Israel is fighting for its defence and securing its future until complete victory and it does so while upholding international law," he added.
Moreover, Foreign Minister Israel Katz called the comments "shameful and grave."
It is pertinent to mention that last month, South Africa filed a complaint with the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza and demanding the court order Israel to stop the fighting.
However, the case is expected to last years, as reported by The Times of Israel.
The court refused South Africa's request to take immediate measures to order Israel to halt its campaign but said there was "plausibility" to Pretoria's claim that Israel was in breach of certain elements of the Genocide Convention amid the war and said Jerusalem must make efforts to prevent harm to civilians. (ANI)