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Bolivia has severed diplomatic ties with Israel over its attacks on the Gaza Strip, while Colombia and Chile recalled their ambassadors for consultations.
The three South American nations lambasted Israel's attacks on Gaza and condemned the deaths of Palestinian citizens.
Bolivia “decided to break diplomatic relations with the Israeli state in repudiation and condemnation of the aggressive and disproportionate Israeli military offensive taking place in the Gaza Strip", Deputy Foreign Minister Freddy Mamani said.
The three countries called for a ceasefire, with Bolivia and Chile also pushing for the passage of humanitarian aid into the enclave and accusing Israel of breaching international law.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro called the attacks a “massacre of the Palestinian people” in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Israel's Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment.
Other South American countries, including Mexico and Brazil, have also called for a ceasefire.
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A girl is rescued from the rubble of a building destroyed by Israeli air strikes in Jabalia refugee camp, in the northern Gaza Strip. AP Photo -
An Apache helicopter fires flares, seen from Sderot in southern Israel, close to the border with Gaza. Reuters -
Palestinians plug their phones into portable charging stations on a street in Khan Younis, Gaza. Bloomberg -
Residents search survivors among the rubble following Israeli strikes on Jabalia, northern Gaza. EPA -
Palestinians search for survivors and bodies following Israeli airstrikes at the Jabalia, the largest refugee camp in Gaza. AP -
Palestinians look for survivors among the rubble of destroyed buildings following Israeli strikes on Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza. AP -
Palestinians look for survivors among the rubble of destroyed buildings following Israeli strikes on Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza. AP -
A fire burns in western Gaza after an Israeli air strike. Reuters -
Missiles are fired from Israel towards the Gaza Strip. Getty Images -
Smoke rises from an explosion in Gaza. Getty Images -
A group of men survey the destruction following air strikes on Al Shatee camp in Gaza city, as Israeli forces entered the northern area of the Gaza Strip. AFP -
A man drives a damaged car following air strikes on Gaza city. AFP -
A man pushes a bicycle past the remains of buildings destroyed in Israeli strikes on Al Shatee camp in Gaza city. AFP -
A woman and children walk past a house destroyed in Israeli strikes on Al Shatee camp in Gaza city. AFP -
People dig through the rubble of a destroyed building following Israeli strikes on Al Shatee camp in Gaza city. AFP -
A man drives a damaged car past a building destroyed in Israeli strikes on Al Shatee camp in Gaza city. AFP -
People gather amid the destruction following Israeli strikes on Al Shatee camp in Gaza city. AFP -
Wrecked vehicles and rubble on the streets following Israeli strikes on Al Shatee camp in Gaza city. AFP -
Smoke rises from the northern Gaza Strip as Israeli air and ground forces amplified their military activities against Hamas. EPA -
An Israeli Apache attack helicopter flies close to the border with the Gaza Strip, near Israel's southern city of Ashkelon. AFP -
Israeli soldiers in an armoured personnel carrier on patrol near Israel's border with Gaza. EPA -
The crew of an Israeli tank prepare for ground operations near the border with Gaza. EPA -
Israeli soldiers prepare for ground manoeuvres at an undisclosed location in Israel near the border with Gaza. EPA -
The ruins of northern Gaza seen from Sderot in southern Israel. EPA -
Smoke and explosions caused by Israeli bombardment over northern Gaza. AP Photo -
An explosion on the Israel-Gaza border. Reuters -
A video grab shows fireballs and smoke rising above Gaza city following an Israeli attack. AFP -
An explosion in Gaza seen from Sderot in southern Israel. Reuters -
A video grab shows rockets fired from Gaza city. AFP -
Israeli air strikes in the northern Gaza Strip. AP Photo -
A video grab shows a salvo of rockets fired from Gaza city. AFP -
A flare trail fired by the Israeli army east of Khan Younis on the southern Gaza Strip. AFP -
Smoke from the bombing of the Gaza Strip over the Israeli border city of Ashkelon. AFP -
Flares over Gaza as seen from Sderot in southern Israel. Reuters
“What we have now is the insanity of Israel's Prime Minister, who wants to wipe out the Gaza Strip,” Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Friday.
Bolivia is among the first countries to break diplomatic relations with Israel over its war in Gaza, launched in retaliation for an October 7 attack in southern Israel by Hamas militants who Israel says killed 1,400 people, including children, and took about 240 people hostage.
More than 8,500 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes.
Bolivia cut diplomatic ties with Israel in 2009 under the government of President Evo Morales, also in protest against Israel's actions in Gaza.
In 2020, the government of right-wing interim president Jeanine Anez re-established ties.
“We reject the war crimes being committed in Gaza. We support international initiatives to guarantee humanitarian aid, in compliance with international law,” Bolivian President Arce said on Monday.
Gaza health authorities have said more than 8,500 people, including at least 3,500 children, have been killed in Israeli attacks since October 7. UN officials say more than 1.4 million of Gaza's population of about 2.3 million have been made homeless.
Israel's military has accused Hamas, which rules the coastal enclave, of using civilian buildings as cover for fighters, commanders and weapons, accusations the group denies.
