Israel kills women and children under pretext of fighting Hamas: Brazil’s president

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has said after a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi that “Israel’s behaviour has no explanation.”

“With the pretext of fighting Hamas, it is killing women and children,” he said.

Speaking later to the Arab League, Lula said Brazil had condemned the Hamas attack on Israeli civilians on October 7, but that Israel’s response was “disproportional and indiscriminate”, and unacceptable.

Lula said there would not be peace without the establishment of a Palestinian state, and called for an immediate ceasefire to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.

“The killing must be stopped,” he said.

Lula also criticised the United Nations for failing to resolve international conflicts, calling for reform of the Security Council and admission of Palestine to the UN as a full member.