MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Lula insists a ceasefire in Gaza is urgently needed

“Brazil continues to mourn the tragic conflict between Israel and Palestine,” said Lula

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva Wednesday decried the “daily violation” of human rights by the Israeli forces in Gaza and called for a “permanent ceasefire”.

During the first technical meeting of his rotating presidency of the G20, Lula also spoke about a “shocking” situation where “thousands of innocent civilians have already died, especially women and children.”

“Brazil continues to mourn the tragic conflict between Israel and Palestine,” insisted Lula while pledging to keep working for “a permanent cease-fire that will allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.”

He also requested the “immediate release of all hostages by Hamas”.

Lula also pointed out that one of his priorities at the helm of G20 will be the fight against hunger and poverty while advocating addressing the challenge of climate change, the principles on the sustainable use of natural resources, and the establishment of clear and consensual guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence (AI).

The Workers' Party (PT) leader also said he believed that financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) should reduce interest rates and increase the volume of loans to poor and developing countries. “The G20 is currently the political and economic forum with the greatest capacity to positively influence the international agenda,” he said.

The Brazilian president also recalled that G20 members were responsible for three-quarters of global greenhouse gas emissions, so their discussions on the subject will be fundamental for adopting “more ambitious national contributions” at the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30), to be held in 2025 in Brazil.