Israeli attack on refugee camp near Rafah

The Brazilian government was very concerned and distressed to learn of the attacks carried out by Israel, one of which targeted a refugee camp near the city of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. The attack killed dozens of civilians and injured countless others as a result of a fire that spread throug tents housing refugee families.

This new tragedy shows the devastating impact of any Israeli military action in Rafah on civilians, as evidenced by demonstrations and appeals of the international community and in light of the hundreds of thousands of refugees forced by Israel to flee to that location, where conditions are grim.

The Brazilian government condemns the ongoing actions of the Israeli armed forces against areas densely populated with civilians in Gaza, as they constitute systematic violations of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, and a blatant disregard for the provisional measures reaffirmed a few days ago by the International Court of Justice.

The Brazilian government also deplores rocket launches resumed by Hamas from Gaza against Israeli territory over the weekend.

Brazil expresses its solidarity with the people of Palestine, in particular with the families of the Rafah victims, and reaffirms its rejection of any and all military actions against civilian targets.

The Brazilian government calls upon the international community to exert maximum diplomatic pressure to achieve an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and the urgent provision of adequate humanitarian aid to the population of Gaza.