International bloc BRICS demands an immediate cessation of hostilities in Gaza and denounces the exploitation of hunger as a tactic of warfare.
The BRICS nations - Brazil, China, Russia, India, and South Africa - have taken a firm stance against Israel's military actions in Gaza, particularly the use of starvation as a method of warfare. During their 2025 summit in Rio de Janeiro, the leaders issued a joint declaration, demanding an immediate, permanent, and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, along with a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and all occupied Palestinian territories.
The statement emphasised that Gaza is "an inseparable part of Palestine" and condemned violations of international humanitarian law, including the tactic of siege and starvation against civilians. The BRICS group also appealed for respect for international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and urged the parties to work towards an immediate, permanent, and unconditional ceasefire.
Hamas, the Palestinian political and military organisation, welcomed this stance from the BRICS nations, seeing it as a supportive call to end the war and to lift the "criminal blockade" imposed on over two million people in Gaza. The group urged BRICS and the international community to pressure Israel to comply with international law and halt what Hamas characterised as aggression and genocide against civilians.
The ceasefire and withdrawal call came amid ongoing war and a worsening humanitarian crisis due to total siege conditions—lack of food, water, medicine, and shelter in Gaza. These developments coincided with renewed ceasefire negotiations in Doha, while Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu was scheduled to meet with then-US President Trump to discuss the conflict.
In a separate development, US President Donald Trump stated that Israel has accepted a 60-day ceasefire proposal in Gaza. The parties are preparing to negotiate a truce in Doha, where the location for the negotiations has been set. The BRICS statement also called for the release of all detainees and prisoners in violation of international law.
It's worth noting that the BRICS statement directly condemns Israel in the conflict in Gaza, unlike their statements on the war in Ukraine or attacks on Iraq. The BRICS group, in their statement, did not mention Russia as the aggressor in the case of the conflict in Gaza.
In recent weeks, over 400 residents of Gaza have been killed on their way to food distribution points controlled by Israel, according to UN data. The BRICS group, in their statement, condemned all violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL).
This reflects BRICS' collective effort to push for a diplomatic resolution emphasising humanitarian concerns and adherence to international law in the Gaza conflict. The ongoing ceasefire negotiations in Doha, along with high-level diplomatic meetings involving Israel and the US, offer a glimmer of hope for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
The BRICS group, in their statement, also called for respect in politics and general news, urging all parties to adhere to international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Hamas, welcoming the BRICS' stance, urged them and the international community to focus on war-and-conflicts in Gaza, particularly the ongoing violations and the criminal blockade imposed on the civilians.
