BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Wednesday announced his government will break diplomatic relations with Israel effective Thursday in the latest escalation of tensions between the countries over the Israel-Hamas war .

Petro again described Israels siege of Gaza as genocide. He previously suspended purchases of weapons from Israel and compared that countrys actions in Gaza to those of Nazi Germany.

Tomorrow, diplomatic relations with the State of Israel will be broken for having a genocidal president, Petro said during an International Workers Day march in Colombias capital. If Palestine dies, humanity dies, and we are not going to let it die.