Colombian president Gustavo Petro announced his decision to expel all of Israel's diplomats on Wednesday afternoon following Israel's interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla.
Two Colombian women, Luna Barreto and Manuela Bedoya, were traveling on one of the vessels en route to Gaza.
"If this information is true," said Petro, "there is a new international crime committed by Netanyahu. The free trade agreement with Israel is cancelled immediately. The entire diplomatic delegation of Israel must leave Colombia immediately."
The Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the decision.
The press release states that Colombia rejects "the kidnapping in international waters committed by the IDF," due to its violation of international rights and the Geneva Conventions.
The ministry also called for the governments of the other flotilla participants, among those Spain, Ireland, Turkey, and Oman, to take action against Israel.
"Colombia reiterates its solidarity with the Palestinian people and reaffirms its compromise with multilateralism, with respect to international law and global justice," concluded the press release.
Hamas responds to Colombia's expulsion of Israeli diplomats
Hamas responded to Petro's decision in a press release on Tuesday, stating that it values the decision of the president to "expel the remaining members of the Zionist diplomatic mission in his country and to cancel the free trade agreement with the occupation, in response to the crime of intercepting the [flotilla] heading to the Gaza Strip to break the unjust blockade imposed by the fascist occupation army."
"We salute the positions of the Colombian government and President Gustavo Petro," continued the statement, "and their steps opposing the criminal Zionist policy and supporting the rights of our Palestinian people, especially in light of the brutal war of extermination.
"We call on our Arab and Islamic nations, as well as all countries of the world, to take the necessary measures to punish and isolate the occupation, and to pressure for an end to its ongoing crimes against our people, our land, and our holy places."
This isn't the first time Petro has taken action against Israel.
Comments at the UN
On Friday, Petro had his US visa revoked after joining a pro-Palestinian demonstration and inciting soldiers to disobey US President Donald Trump's orders.
Colombia also unveiled its next step in moving away from Israeli-made weapons this week, with a new domestically manufactured rifle meant to replace the Israeli Galil.