BOGOTA, Colombia

The Bolivian government announced Tuesday that it is breaking diplomatic ties with Israel.

“We make known our decision as the plurinational state of Bolivia to break diplomatic relations with Israel,” Minister of the Presidency, Maria Nela Prada, said at a news conference.

She said the South American country accuses Israel of committing crimes against humanity and “demanded” an end to attacks on the Gaza Strip, “which have already caused thousands of civilian deaths and the displacement of Palestinians.”

The decision was made "in repudiation and condemnation of the aggressive and disproportionate Israeli military offensive" and the "threat to international peace and security," said Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Freddy Mamani.

Bolivia cut diplomatic ties with Israel in protest of attacks on the Gaza Strip in 2009 but they were reestablished in 2020 during the government of President Jeanine Anez.

The Israeli army has expanded air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip, which has been under relentless airstrikes since a surprise offensive by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, earlier this month.

More than 10,000 people have been killed in the conflict since then, including 8,525 Palestinians and 1,538 Israelis.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected growing calls for a cease-fire, saying it would be a "surrender" to Hamas.