Bolivia severs diplomatic ties with Israel over brutal war on Gaza

Bolivia said on Tuesday it was severing diplomatic ties with Israel over its "disproportionate" attacks in Gaza, as two other Latin American countries recalled their ambassadors over the mounting humanitarian crisis.

Bolivia "has decided to cut diplomatic relations with the State of Israel, in repudiation and condemnation of the aggressive and disproportionate Israeli military offensive being carried out in the Gaza Strip", deputy foreign minister Freddy Mamani told a press conference.

It follows the killing of at least 8,800 Palestinians, including 3,648 children, in over three weeks of bombing.

Minister of the Presidency Maria Nela Prada also announced the country was sending humanitarian aid to Gaza.

"We demand an end to the attacks" in the Gaza Strip "which have so far caused thousands of civilian deaths and the forced displacement of Palestinians," she said at the same press conference.

BREAKING: Bolivia ends relations with Israel

Minister of the Presidency: "We are sending this official communication to the State of Israel, in which, as stated, we make known our decision as the Plurinational State of Bolivia to break diplomatic relations with Israel." pic.twitter.com/bva4ohl5yl

— Kawsachun News (@KawsachunNews) October 31, 2023

The government of leftist Luis Arce is the first in Latin America to cut ties with the country since Israel's indiscriminate and relentless bombing of the besieged Gaza Strip began on 7 October with almost half of the death toll being children.

Israel has gone on to impose an internet and communications blackout on Gaza, as well as inflict a "complete siege", cutting off fuel, water and food supplies.

Israel has been accused by several nations and rights groups of carrying out war crimes against Gaza's Palestinian population.

He decidido llamar a consulta a nuestra embajadora en Israel. Si Israel no detiene la masacre del pueblo palestino no podemos estar allá.

— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) November 1, 2023

Israel responded on Wednesday by slamming Bolivia's move as "a surrender to terrorism."

"By taking this step, the Bolivian government is aligning itself with the Hamas terrorist organisation," Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Lior Haiat said in a statement.

Bolivia only announced it was restoring ties with Israel in 2019, a decade after they were cut over previous massacres on the Gaza Strip.

Hamas applauded Bolivia's decision on Tuesday, saying it "holds it in high esteem" while urging Arab countries who have normalised their relations with Israel to do the same.

The leaders of both Colombia and Chile also spoke out Tuesday against the Israeli's brutal onslaught in Gaza, which has targeted schools, residential buildings, religious establishments and hospitals - where many have sought refuge.

"I have decided to recall our ambassador to Israel (Margarita Manjarrez) for consultation. If Israel does not stop the massacre of the Palestinian people, we cannot be there," Colombia's leftist President Gustavo Petro wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Chile, which has the largest Palestinian population outside the Arab world, said Tuesday it was recalling its ambassador to Israel in protest against Israel's "unacceptable violations of international humanitarian law."

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council, has urged a ceasefire.

He said the "terrorist attack" by Palestinian militants against Israel did not justify killing "millions of innocents" in Gaza.

"Just because Hamas committed a terrorist attack against Israel doesn't mean Israel has to kill millions of innocents," he said in a live address on social media.