07/10/2023 – 19:47
The attack by the Palestinian group Hamas, this Saturday (7), left at least 200 Israelis dead and 1,100 injured in shootings that took place in more than 20 locations within Israel. The Israelis responded with airstrikes that killed at least 230 people and injured 1,600 people in the Gaza Strip, according to information released by the Reuters news agency.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE) reported that it is monitoring the situation of Brazilian communities in the region. There are an estimated 14,000 Brazilians living in Israel and 6,000 in Palestine, “the vast majority of whom are outside the area affected by the attacks”, says the organization’s statement.
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According to Itamaraty, a Brazilian was injured and is hospitalized. The Brazilian Embassy in Tel Aviv is providing assistance. The agency also reported that the embassy is also seeking contact with two other Brazilians who were also in an attacked location.
In an interview with TV Brasil, artistic gymnastics coach Felipe Bichof, who lives in Tel Aviv, said the atmosphere is one of apprehension. “The city is deserted, even though Tel Aviv is a safe area on the streets, no type of crime has been declared. lockdown, but the streets are deserted, with few cars passing by”, he reported. He adds that all that remains is to wait. “A situation like this leaves us apprehensive, helpless, because it is distressing to stay indoors without being able to do anything”, he added.
Hamas infiltrators seized settlements near the Gaza Strip and took hostages. “As everyone knows, Israel is recognized worldwide for its military power and no one imagined a situation like this. Generally, when there are infiltrations, they are through underground tunnels and, for the most part, they are frustrated. Israeli military power is able to intervene and there are few cases entering the country,” he said.
Bichof added that local news showed Israelis in bunkers, who came on live TV over the phone. “It was a situation that started to get very tense. We saw people whispering on the phone on the news: ‘They’re here, help me!’”, he concluded.
According to Bichof, the biggest fear at the moment is that there will be an escalation in violence with the entry of other countries into the conflict. The Israeli government has already called up more than 100,000 reservists to protect the territory. “It is unpredictable, it can last a few hours, a few days, weeks, this can escalate and we are in tension so that other countries do not get into this situation,” he said.
The climate of apprehension was also reported by journalist Carolina Rizzo, a resident of Tel Aviv. “I’m not leaving the house, I’m locked inside the house, just following the WhatsApp group of those who live here, watching news all day long. I come to the apartment balcony and there are hardly any cars passing by. You don’t see people walking down the street, it’s very strange and distressing. Today there were five rocket fire sirens that we heard and we had to go to the bomb shelter,” she told TV Brasil. The interview had to be interrupted due to a missile warning siren.
security advice
At 4pm this Sunday (8), Brasília time, a meeting of the Security Council of the United Nations (UN) will be held at the entity’s headquarters in New York. The extraordinary call was defined by Brazil, which holds the presidency of the body. Decisions will be made within the organization regarding attacks.
On a social network, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said he was shocked by the Hamas attack against Israel and that the country would spare no effort to prevent the conflict from escalating. Lula also called on the international community to work towards resuming negotiations to resolve the conflict and create a Palestinian State.
“Brazil will spare no efforts to prevent the escalation of the conflict, including when exercising the Presidency of the UN Security Council. I call on the international community to work to immediately resume negotiations that lead to a solution to the conflict that guarantees the existence of an economically viable Palestinian State, coexisting peacefully with Israel within safe borders for both sides,” wrote the president.
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In support of the Palestinians, the global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement condemned what it called “colonial hypocrisy”, highlighting historical issues involving the region and the right of Palestinians to defend themselves. “Once again, ignoring Israel’s decades-long oppression of Palestinians and attacking Palestinian armed resistance as if the ‘violence’ only began this morning.”
The Israeli Federation of the State of São Paulo stated in a statement, “as a representative of the São Paulo Jewish community”, its support for the State of Israel. “Like every country in the world, it has the right and duty to protect its territory and its population.”
*With information from Reuters news agency
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