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According to the note, Lula committed to Herzog’s request to “strengthen the appeal” for the release of hostages kidnapped by the Islamist group Hamas and recalled that he had conversations in this regard with several Middle Eastern leaders, including Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey , Qatar, Egypt and the Palestinian Authority.
The latest conflict in the Middle East began on October 7, when Hamas fighters attacked southern Israel from the Gaza Strip. The Islamists killed 1,200 people in the attack, most of them civilians, and kidnapped another 240, according to Israeli authorities.
In response, Israel began a daily bombing campaign against Gaza. The offensive has killed more than 11,500 Palestinians, including more than 4,700 children, according to the Ministry of Health in this territory, governed by Hamas.
Lula reiterated that he “remains convinced” of the importance of a two-state solution, “with Israel and Palestine living side by side, with secure and mutually accepted borders.”
The tone of the conversation was “very friendly”, a Planalto source told AFP.
In a series of statements this week, Lula accused Israel of committing “several acts of terrorism”, killing “children” and “innocent people” in bombings, “without any criteria”.
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