April 20, 2025 | 10:00 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Friday night condemned Israel's genocide in Gaza and likened the suffering of Palestinians to that of Jesus Christ.
"At the time of the passion and death of Jesus, let us reflect on the Palestinian people, his homeland, who are now under a bloody genocide," Petro wrote on X, as reported by Anadolu on Saturday.
He was responding to a post about Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya, a prominent Palestinian doctor who is reportedly in critical condition and remains in Israeli custody for torture.
Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, was reportedly detained by Israeli forces earlier this year.
Human rights organizations and local Palestinian media have raised alarm in recent weeks over his treatment in detention, citing severe torture and his deteriorating health.
Petro's remarks came during the Christian Holy Week celebrations, further enhancing his symbolic weight. The Colombian leader has been a vocal critic of Israel's military campaign in Gaza. He has repeatedly accused Israel of war crimes.
The Israeli government has denied allegations of genocide and insists its operations target Hamas fighters, not civilians or medical personnel.
Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip have killed at least 92 Palestinians, bringing the death toll from Israel’s genocidal war since October 2023 to 51,157, the Health Ministry said on Saturday. Most of the dead were women and children.
A ministry statement said 219 wounded people had been transferred to hospitals over the past 48 hours, bringing the number of wounded in the Israeli attacks to 116,724.
“Many victims are still trapped under rubble and on the roads because rescue teams cannot reach them,” they said.
The Israeli army resumed its deadly attacks on the Gaza Strip on March 18 and has since killed 1,783 people and wounded 4,683 others, despite a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that came into effect in January.
Last November, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over its war in the enclave.
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