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- The conflict, the Nicaraguan government said, now also 鈥渆xtends against Lebanon and gravely threatens Syria, Yemen and Iran鈥�
MANAGUA: Nicaragua has announced plans to break off relations with Israel over the war in Gaza, calling the Israeli government 鈥渇ascist and genocidal.鈥�
Left-wing President Daniel Ortega, who has been fiercely critical of Israel鈥檚 yearlong war with Hamas, ordered ties to be cut over Israel鈥檚 attacks on Palestinian territories, said Vice President Rosario Murillo, who is also Ortega鈥檚 wife.
The move is essentially symbolic, with ties between Israel and the Central American country virtually nonexistent.
Israel has no ambassador in the Nicaraguan capital, Managua.
FASTFACT
UN officials have expressed concern that the ongoing Israeli offensive in northern Gaza could disrupt the second phase of its polio vaccination campaign.
Nicaragua has twice broken off ties with Israel 鈥� once in 2010 under Ortega and in 1982 under the Sandinista revolutionary government led by Ortega following the country鈥檚 1979 revolution.
UN officials have expressed concern that the ongoing Israeli offensive and evacuation orders in northern Gaza could disrupt the second phase of its polio vaccination campaign set to begin next week.
Healthcare officials have reported that dozens of facilities in Gaza are under evacuation orders from the Israeli military, complicating humanitarian efforts amid the conflict.
Aid groups carried out an initial round of vaccinations last month after a baby was partially paralyzed by the type 2 polio virus in August, in the first such case in the territory in 25 years.