Colombian President Gustavo Petro said on Wednesday his country will sever diplomatic ties with Israel, whose leader he described as "genocidal" over its war in Gaza.

"Tomorrow (Thursday) diplomatic relations with the state of Israel will be severed... for having a genocidal president," Petro, a harsh critic of the war against Hamas, told a May Day rally in Bogota, referring to Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israel's foreign minister on Wednesday said Petro's decision to cut diplomatic ties amounted to handing a "reward" to Hamas.

Petro has taken a critical stance on the Gaza assault that followed an unprecedented Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7 -- which resulted in the deaths of some 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures.

In October, just days after the start of the war, Israel said it was "halting security exports" to Colombia after Petro accused Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant of using language about the people of Gaza similar to what the "Nazis said of the Jews."

Israel accused Petro of "expressing support for the atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists, fueling anti-Semitism," and summoned Colombia's ambassador.

Israel, one of the main providers of arms to Colombia's military, then said it was "halting security exports" to the South American country as the diplomatic feud escalated. (AFP)