Itamaraty condemns Israel for violating the ceasefire in Gaza.
During the meeting, ministers from Brazil and Palestine also expressed support for the Gaza reconstruction plan adopted by the Arab League.
247 - The Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Laura da Rocha, condemned on Monday (17) Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.
More than 150 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire came into effect on January 19, the Palestinian movement Hamas said in a statement last Saturday (16).
During a meeting with the Palestinian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, in Brasília-DF, they "expressed concern about the fragility of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and condemned Israeli violations of this agreement, in particular the suspension of the entry of humanitarian aid and electricity," according to a statement published by the ministry.
The representatives also called for a permanent cessation of hostilities, as well as the "complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territory, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners detained in violation of international law, and the establishment of a robust mechanism to guarantee unimpeded access for humanitarian aid."
They also expressed support for the "Gaza Recovery, Reconstruction and Development Plan," adopted by the League of Arab States on March 4.
The talks are taking place amid deep disagreements between Israel and Hamas over the terms of the next phase of the fragile ceasefire. The first phase ended on March 1, but Israel has not moved forward with the second phase of the agreement, and both sides have failed to reach a consensus on new terms for the next stage of the truce. During the first phase, 33 hostages—including the bodies of eight deceased—were recovered from Gaza, and approximately 2.000 Palestinian political prisoners held in Israel were released. On March 2, Israel announced a ban on the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and also threatened to increase pressure on Hamas for allegedly refusing to accept the new US plan to extend the truce in the enclave and release the remaining hostages.
Read the full text: JOINT STATEMENT
V MEETING OF THE BRAZIL-PALESTINE BILATERAL POLITICAL CONSULTATION MECHANISM
The Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Ambassador Maria Laura da Rocha, and the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the State of Palestine, Dr. Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, conducted the 5th Meeting of the Brazil-Palestine Bilateral Political Consultation Mechanism in Brasília on March 17, 2025.
They discussed the situation in Palestine, expressed concern about the fragility of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, and condemned Israeli violations of that agreement, in particular the suspension of humanitarian aid and electricity. They agreed on the urgency of reaching an agreement for a permanent cessation of hostilities, including the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territory, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners detained in violation of international law, as well as the establishment of a robust mechanism to guarantee unimpeded access for humanitarian aid. They expressed support for the Gaza Recovery, Reconstruction and Development Plan, adopted by the League of Arab States on March 4, 2025, and agreed on the need for the government of the State of Palestine to return to Gaza.
They expressed their concern about the situation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in view of the continued expansion of illegal Israeli settlements, attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinian civilians, threats of annexation, and the intensification of Israeli military operations in Palestinian cities and refugee camps, which have led to the forced displacement of tens of thousands of Palestinians.
They recalled the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice of 19 July 2024, which concluded that Israel's continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is unlawful and must be ended as soon as possible.
They reiterated their strong support for initiatives aimed at implementing the advisory opinion and UNGA resolution ES-10/24 and decided to cooperate in the preparation of the upcoming High-Level International Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Palestinian Question and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, in June.
They stressed that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is irreplaceable and rejected all attempts to impede its activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
They discussed the most important topics on the bilateral agenda and agreed to deepen cooperation in various fields. They decided to hold annual meetings of the Bilateral Political Consultation Mechanism in order to exchange views on regional and international issues of common interest. They also agreed to promote contacts between academic institutions and organizations in their countries specializing in international relations and foreign policy, and to encourage contacts between cultural and civil society institutions, as well as cooperation between private sector institutions in their countries.
Ambassador Maria Laura da Rocha reaffirmed Brazil's strong support for the achievement of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to self-determination, based on a two-state solution.
