Brazil President Condemns Gaza 'Massacre'

Israel's military offensive in Gaza has been condemned as a "massacre" by Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff, adding to international pressure for an end to the bloodshed.

She branded the Israeli campaign against rocket-firing Hamas militants in the coastal enclave, which has left more than a thousand Palestinians dead, as "disproportionate", and backed the United Nations' call for an immediate ceasefire.

Her comments echo those of the foreign ministry, which led an Israel spokesman to dismiss Brazil as a "diplomatic dwarf".

Israel has defended its campaign arguing it needs to defend itself attacks from Gaza by Hamas rockets and militant tunnels that criss-cross the border area.

Ms Rousseff said: "What's happening in Gaza is dangerous. I don't think it's a genocide, but I think it's a massacre.

"It's a humanitarian issue. This can't be done in such a small strip (of territory), with people who are in a situation of great insecurity, very threatened, with many women and children.

"We know that in a war like this, the ones who pay are the civilians."

But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: "We will continue to act aggressively and responsibly until the mission is completed to protect our citizens, soldiers and children."

Meanwhile, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei branded Israel a "rabid dog", and called on Muslims to arm Palestinians fighting "the Zionist regime", who he accused of "genocide".

In a speech marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, Mr Khamenei said of Israel: "This rabid dog, this rapacious wolf, has attacked innocent people and humanity must show a reaction. This is genocide, a catastrophe of historical scale."

He added: "Everyone, whoever has the means, especially in the Islamic world, they should do what they can to arm the Palestinian nation ... the Zionist regime deeply regrets starting this (war) but has no way out."

Israel launched its offensive on July 8 aimed at halting rockets being fired by Hamas and later sent in ground forces tasked with destroying tunnels used by Hamas fighters.

Though international pressure has been mounting for a stop to the fighting, there is no end in sight to the 22-day conflict in which 1,116 Palestinians, many of them civilians, and 53 Israeli soldiers and three civilians have been killed.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said: "In the name of humanity, the violence must stop."