Brazil’s Lula Labels Gaza Conflict ‘Genocide’ at BRICS Summit
Rio de Janeiro, July 7, 2025 – Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva sparked international attention on Sunday by describing Israel’s military campaign in Gaza as a “genocide” during the opening of the BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro. Addressing leaders from 11 emerging nations, including newly inducted Indonesia, Lula called for global intervention to halt what he termed the “indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians and the use of hunger as a weapon of war.”The remarks came as truce negotiations between Israel and Hamas resumed in Doha, amid a 21-month conflict that began with Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attacks, killing 1,219 people, mostly Israeli civilians. Israel’s retaliatory campaign has resulted in over 57,418 deaths, predominantly civilians, according to Al Jazeera, intensifying global scrutiny. Lula, while condemning the initial Hamas attack as “terrorist,” sharply criticized Israel’s subsequent actions, aligning with a growing narrative among some BRICS members.
The summit, held at Rio’s Museum of Modern Art, showcased the bloc’s expanding influence, representing over half the world’s population and 40% of its economic output. Lula positioned BRICS as a successor to the Cold War-era Non-Aligned Movement, advocating for multilateral diplomacy in a fractured global order strained by divisions in forums like the G7 and G20, and the “America First” policies of U.S. President Donald Trump. However, the absence of Chinese President Xi Jinping, represented by his premier, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, attending virtually due to an International Criminal Court warrant, underscored diplomatic complexities.
BRICS leaders issued a joint statement condemning unilateral tariffs, military strikes on Iran, and attacks in Bryansk and Kursk, while calling for an unconditional ceasefire in Gaza and Israel’s withdrawal from occupied Syrian territory. The bloc also welcomed Indonesia’s membership and scheduled the 2026 summit in India, signaling its intent to reshape global governance.Controversy surrounds Lula’s “genocide” label, as the 1948 UN Genocide Convention requires intent to destroy a group, a criterion debated in this context. Despite the high casualty figures, Gaza’s population has grown by 2.02% (43,000 people) since October 2023, per recent data, contrasting with historical genocides like the Holocaust, which saw a 66% population decline. A July 2025 UN report by Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese noted 48 corporations, including U.S. tech giants like Microsoft, supporting Israel’s operations, adding an economic dimension to the conflict.
As BRICS solidifies its stance, the summit highlighted both unity and discord, with nations like India and South Africa navigating their own geopolitical interests. The international community now watches closely as Lula’s bold rhetoric and the bloc’s resolutions test the limits of diplomatic influence in resolving one of the world’s most protracted conflicts.
The summit, held at Rio’s Museum of Modern Art, showcased the bloc’s expanding influence, representing over half the world’s population and 40% of its economic output. Lula positioned BRICS as a successor to the Cold War-era Non-Aligned Movement, advocating for multilateral diplomacy in a fractured global order strained by divisions in forums like the G7 and G20, and the “America First” policies of U.S. President Donald Trump. However, the absence of Chinese President Xi Jinping, represented by his premier, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, attending virtually due to an International Criminal Court warrant, underscored diplomatic complexities.
BRICS leaders issued a joint statement condemning unilateral tariffs, military strikes on Iran, and attacks in Bryansk and Kursk, while calling for an unconditional ceasefire in Gaza and Israel’s withdrawal from occupied Syrian territory. The bloc also welcomed Indonesia’s membership and scheduled the 2026 summit in India, signaling its intent to reshape global governance.Controversy surrounds Lula’s “genocide” label, as the 1948 UN Genocide Convention requires intent to destroy a group, a criterion debated in this context. Despite the high casualty figures, Gaza’s population has grown by 2.02% (43,000 people) since October 2023, per recent data, contrasting with historical genocides like the Holocaust, which saw a 66% population decline. A July 2025 UN report by Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese noted 48 corporations, including U.S. tech giants like Microsoft, supporting Israel’s operations, adding an economic dimension to the conflict.
As BRICS solidifies its stance, the summit highlighted both unity and discord, with nations like India and South Africa navigating their own geopolitical interests. The international community now watches closely as Lula’s bold rhetoric and the bloc’s resolutions test the limits of diplomatic influence in resolving one of the world’s most protracted conflicts.
