Bogotá, Colombia - Colombian President Gustavo Petro said Wednesday his country will sever diplomatic ties with Israel, whose government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu he described as "genocidal" in its war in Gaza.

"Tomorrow (Thursday) diplomatic relations with the state of Israel will be severed... for having a government, for having a president that is genocidal," Petro, a harsh critic of the devastating war against Palestinians, told a May Day rally in Bogotá.

The world, he insisted, cannot accept "genocide, the extermination of an entire people."

"If Palestine dies, humanity dies," Petro said to loud applause from the crowd, some of whom flew pro-Palestinian banners.

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Israel responded by describing Petro as "antisemitic and hateful," saying his stance amounted to handing a reward to Hamas.

Hamas, whose October 7 attack on Israel triggered the war, hailed the move as a "victory."

The Confederation of Jewish Communities of Colombia issued a statement mindful of the "brotherly" relations the country has had with Israel dating back to 1953.

It urged the ties "be maintained, leaving open channels of dialogue" for "the good of both peoples."

Colombia has joined Bolivia, Belize, and South Africa in severing or suspending ties with Israel. Several other countries have recalled diplomats in response to Israel's brutal assault that has killed over 34,000 Palestinians.