Colombia suspends Israeli arms purchases after Gaza massacre
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More than 100 people were killed in a massacre as they were waiting for aid, Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported on Thursday.
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Gustavo Petro, President of Colombia, upon arrival in Switzerland in January 2023. (Colombian Presidency)
Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Thursday announced that Bogota would halt all acquisitions of Israeli-manufactured weapons in response to the al-Rashid Street massacre which saw more than one hundred Palestinians killed by the Israeli army.
"Asking for food, 100 Palestinians were murdered by Netanyahu. This is called genocide and it reminds of the Holocaust, even though world powers have a hard time recognizing it," Petro said via the social media platform X. "The world must stop Netanyahu. Colombia suspends all weapon purchases from Israel."
Pidiendo comida, mas de 100 palestinos fueron asesinados por Netanyahu. Esto se llama genocidio y recuerda el Hocausto así a los poderes mundiales no les guste reconocerlo.
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) February 29, 2024
El mundo debe bloquear a Netanyahu. Colombia suspende toda compra de armas a Israel. https://t.co/o5aLu7DCA6
Read more: Colombia's Petro backs Lula's comments on Gaza genocide
More than 100 people were killed in a massacre as they were waiting for aid, Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported on Thursday.
Tens of others were wounded in the attack that targeted Palestinian civilians who were waiting in line to receive aid packages in the northern Gaza Strip, a field source from the Palestinian Resistance told Al Mayadeen.
Israeli armored vehicles and tanks also ran over the bodies of several martyrs, while others fired incendiary shells toward civilians in the area, according to the commander.
The Israeli military justified the massacre on the basis that the army sensed danger as civilians approached them, prompting the army to open fire.
The source further stated that the army claimed a stampede occurred as they were trying to distribute aid. They blamed the crowded group for injuring other Palestinians and causing trucks to strike civilians.
Considering the number of civilians who got killed in the event, the accusations are incorrect.
The genocidal nature of the event is compounded by the fact that the civilians were unarmed and fled as the army fired at them.
Gaza's Health Ministry confirmed earlier today that the number of Palestinian martyrs has surpassed 30,000.
"The number of martyrs exceeds 30,000," a Ministry statement announced, adding that the toll includes at least 79 martyrs reported overnight"
Read more: Chile, Colombia recall ambassadors to 'Israel'
Arms deal canceled
Colombia was among the first countries to condemn the genocide of the people of Gaza.
In the first weeks that followed the onset of the war, "Israel" halted exports of weapons and security equipment to Colombia after Petro published a Tweet, stating that "terrorism kills children in Palestine."
The country was among the 130 nations that have acquired weaponry, drones, and cyber espionage technology from "Israel", which ranks as the world's tenth-largest arms exporter.
