Opening remarks by President Cyril Ramaphosa to the Extraordinary Joint Meeting of BRICS Leaders and Leaders of invited BRICS members on the situation in the Middle East
21 November 2023 - 12:00am
Your Excellencies, Leaders of BRICS nations,
Your Excellencies, Leaders of Invited BRICS Members,
Ministers,
Sherpas and Sous Sherpas
Officials,
Thank you for your attendance at this Extraordinary Joint Meeting to address a matter of grave global concern.
Since the 7th of October, when more than 1,200 people were killed in an attack by Hamas on Israel, the world has born witness to the devastating killing of thousands of innocent civilians in Gaza, many of whom are women and children.
Over 11,000 residents of Gaza have been killed. Many thousands more have been injured. Infrastructure, homes, hospitals and other public facilities have been destroyed. More than half of Gaza’s population has been displaced.