Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has once again strongly condemned Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, describing it as “genocide,” after an Israeli airstrike killed nine of the ten children of Palestinian doctor Alaa Al-Najjar. The attack, which took place on Saturday, also left Dr Al-Najjar’s husband and surviving child critically wounded and hospitalised.
“This is yet another cowardly and shameful act,” Lula said in a statement issued by the presidency. “What is happening in Gaza can no longer be justified as self-defence, combating terrorism, or rescuing hostages. What we are witnessing is revenge.”
His comments come during growing global concern over Israel’s bombardment of the Gaza Strip, where airstrikes have ravaged civilian neighbourhoods. Lula suggested the destruction amounts to a calculated effort to drive Palestinians from their land by making it unlivable.
“This tragedy reflects the sheer cruelty and inhumanity of a conflict where a heavily armed state targets an unprotected civilian population,” he said. “It is women and children who are bearing the brunt of this violence.”
As the civilian death toll in Gaza continues to mount, international pressure on Israel has increased. Human rights groups and a number of world leaders have accused Israel of breaching international humanitarian law.
In Brazil, Lula’s remarks have resonated with many. Large pro-Palestinian rallies have been held across major cities, and civil society figures have echoed his call for a halt to what he terms “a campaign of extermination.”
“The world cannot remain silent,” Lula concluded. “We must stand with the innocent – with the children, and with the people of Palestine who are resisting the destruction of their homeland.”
Earlier this month, Lula reignited diplomatic tensions when he again likened the situation in Gaza to the Holocaust. “What is happening is a genocide,” he insisted, repeating a comparison that drew fierce criticism from pro-Israel groups.
Responding to accusations of antisemitism from Brazil’s Israeli Confederation (CONIB), Lula clarified that his condemnation was directed at the Israeli military and not at Jewish people. “I am speaking of the Israeli army’s actions against the Palestinian people, not about ‘Jews and Palestinians’, as some extremists claim,” he said, seeking to distinguish between state policy and religious identity.
Lula’s latest remarks reflect a broader shift in Brazil’s foreign policy under his leadership, positioning the country as a prominent voice in the Global South demanding accountability in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Earlier in 2025, Lula criticised a controversial proposal, reportedly supported by U.S. President Donald Trump, that suggested relocating Palestinians from Gaza and placing the territory under foreign administration. Dismissing the idea as “incomprehensible”, he asked: “Where would the Palestinians live? This defies basic human understanding. Palestinians must be the ones to govern Gaza.”
In February 2024, during an African Union summit, Lula drew international attention by comparing the destruction in Gaza to the Holocaust, asserting: “This is not a war; it’s a genocide. It’s not an armed conflict between soldiers – it’s one between a powerful military and defenceless women and children.”
His remarks led to a diplomatic rift. Israel declared Lula persona non grata and recalled its ambassador. In retaliation, Brazil pulled its own envoy from Tel Aviv for consultations.
Despite the fallout, Lula has remained firm in his stance. His government has increased its financial support for the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and continues to call for an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access in Gaza.
