Leaders of Egypt and Brazil call for Gaza ceasefire
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Thursday called for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and reiterated their support for an independent Palestinian state.
“We agreed on the importance of a cease-fire in the Gaza strip and the release of (Israeli) hostages and (Palestinian) prisoners and the passage of as much humanitarian aid as possible in order to preserve the lives of civilians,” al-Sisi said in a news conference attended by Lula in Cairo. The Brazilian leader was visiting Egypt as part of a trip strengthening relations with Africa.
“Peace cannot be achieved without the establishment of an independent Palestinian state,” Lula told reporters.
He also said his country supported the genocide case filed by South Africa against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
“Brazil had strongly denounced the Hamas attack on Israel and we called it a terrorist attack," Lula said. "However, there is no justification for the way Israel reacted. Unfortunately, it is killing women and children.”
Source: Associated Press
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