Hamas hails Colombia’s decision to cut Israel ties

Hamas yesterday welcomed Colombia’s decision to cut diplomatic ties with Israel over its genocidal war in the besieged Gaza Strip, Anadolu agency reported.

The movement described the decision as “a victory for the sacrifices of our people and their just cause” and urged countries in Latin America and elsewhere to take similar measures against Israel, which “disregards all international laws and norms”.

On Wednesday, Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced that “diplomatic relations will be broken with the state of Israel for having a genocidal president.”

Israel slammed his decision, with Foreign Minister Israel Katz taking to social media to say: “History will remember that Gustavo Petro @petrogustavo decided to side with the most despicable monsters known to humanity who burned babies, murdered children, raped women, and kidnapped innocent civilians.”

Israel has for seven months waged a war on Gaza that has resulted in widespread death and destruction in the coastal enclave.

More than 34,600 Palestinians have since been killed and over 77,000 injured. The vast majority of the dead have been women and children. Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) which, in January, issued an interim ruling that ordered it to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

Colombia has requested to join the case alongside South Africa, which brought it to the UN’s top Court in the wake of Israel’s war. Petro previously suspended weapons sales to Israel.

Read: Israel FM criticises Colombia’s president