Brasília, 25 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The Ministry of Foreign Relations has released a note concerning the Israeli attack in Gaza which killed 15, saying "[Brazil] once again condemns these attacks against civilian targets, including the disproportionate use of force, because they cause the deaths of innocents, including children. There is a need to respect International Law which makes it mandatory to protect civilian populations when conflicts occur."

The note goes on to say that Brazil believes that violent actions only exacerbate the situation in the Middle East, "just feeding hostility and intolerance on both sides, making it more difficult to resume peace negotiations, which is what the international community wants." (AB)