The Palestinian Islamist movement "Hamas" welcomes the statement of Colombian President Gustavo Petro that diplomatic relations between Colombia and Israel have been severed as a sign of protest against the conduct of the war in the Gaza Strip, reported Agence France-Presse, quoted by BTA.
"We highly appreciate the position of Colombian President Gustavo Petro, which we consider a victory for the victims of our people and their just cause,", said a statement from the leadership of "Hamas", which also called on other Latin American countries to cut off relations you are with Israel.
"The Colombian president promised to reward the murderers and rapists of "Hamas". Today he fulfilled his promise," Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said, calling Gustavo Petro an "anti-Semite".
Earlier, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who is in Israel for talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other leaders, called on "Hamas" to accept the agreement proposed by Israel and emphasized that the moment has come and there is no time for bargaining, DPA and the Associated Press reported.
"Israel made very important compromises in the proposal presented," Blinken said after his meeting with Netanyahu. "Hamas" must decide whether it will accept this deal and actually improve the situation of the people it claims to care about in Gaza. There is no time for delay, there is no time for further bargaining," the first US diplomat stressed.
Blinken also met with Israeli President Herzog and Defense Minister Yoav Galant for talks that focused on providing more humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. Yesterday, the Israeli army announced that the Eretz border crossing, located on the northern edge of Gaza, had been opened to admit 30 trucks carrying food and medical supplies from Jordan.
Relief supplies arriving by ship at the Israeli port of Ashdod will now be transported directly to the nearby border crossing of Erez, Gallant said last night. He and Blinken visited the Kerem Shalom crossing, which is located at the southern end of the coastal strip, as well as Ashdod, where the US secretary of state made statements. He described the aid through Eretz as "very important" event to reach the hard-hit north of the strip, where food shortages are severe.
Blinken added that the US is likely to launch its own maritime aid corridor within a week - including a floating pier off Gaza.
Israel has announced a swift start to the controversial ground offensive in Rafah, the last bastion of "Hamas" on the border with Egypt if no agreement is reached with the Islamist movement.
Earlier, Netanyahu made it clear that the offensive in Rafah does not depend on reaching an agreement, DPA recalls.