I will now make a statement in my national capacity.
Like my colleagues, I would like to thank the Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Ms Msuya, for her presentation of the catastrophic situation in Gaza. And this in all the fundamental areas such as food security, health and education.
And I quote her: “The level of suffering is difficult to capture in words”. I think it's a sentence that will stay with us.
Allow me to say in my introduction what I will also say in conclusion: there must be an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, as this Council has been calling for over the past months.
Dear Colleagues,
Today, as the Algerian colleague said, we commemorate International Food Day and the 78th anniversary of the foundation of the FAO, which has eradicated hunger or improved food security in many countries worldwide. Tragically, in Gaza, this day serves as a somber reminder: famine is threatening the lives of hundreds of thousands of people - starting with children.
Switzerland recalls that Resolution 2417 of this Council strongly condemns - and I quote - “the unlawful denial of humanitarian access and depriving civilians of objects indispensable to their survival”. The Rome Statute considers the use of starvation as a method of warfare to be a war crime, and those responsible must be brought to justice.
In Gaza, civilians, including nearly 400’000 in the northern Gaza Strip, only have international humanitarian law as their shield. It is therefore essential that the parties implement this law.
The threats facing these civilians are terrifying. Schools that have become shelters are being bombed - as was the case last weekend in Jabalya. The same applies to hospital complexes. The almost total denial of humanitarian aid is exposing the civilian population to epidemics from another era. Not to mention the fact that children haven't been to school for over a year.
This forces us to confront a number of questions: Is the delivery of humanitarian aid aimed at combating food insecurity among the population of Gaza being deliberately obstructed? Are the new evacuation orders issued by Israel to hundreds of thousands of men, women and children an attempt to introduce permanent changes in the Occupied Palestinian Territory? Switzerland reminds that such measures would be illegal under international humanitarian law.
At the same time, Hamas continue to fire rockets at Israel, including as far away as Tel Aviv, which we condemn. The humanitarian situation of the hostages still alive is also catastrophic. We have strongly condemned the atrocious acts of terror committed by Hamas on October 7, and have called for the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages. And we will continue to do so.
We have said it again and again: all parties - including Hamas and other armed groups in the Gaza Strip - must respect international humanitarian law. However, Hamas's terrible crimes in no way suspend Israel's obligation to strictly comply with international humanitarian law.
Israel must now urgently and vigorously take effective measures to provide basic services and emergency humanitarian aid to the Palestinians in Gaza, as required by the International Court of Justice. We recall that this is an obligation under international humanitarian law.
To this end, only close collaboration between Israel and specialized humanitarian agencies can ensure the safe, rapid and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in need. Switzerland commends the work of these agencies - including UNWRA, WHO and UNICEF - which carried out a first wave of polio vaccinations under extremely difficult conditions last month.
Humanitarian agencies must be able to operate in a safe humanitarian space to carry out their work, including the second phase of vaccinations scheduled for this week.
The attacks faced by humanitarian workers - during hostilities, but also in the media - are unacceptable. This Council has unanimously reaffirmed its support for the Secretary-General and UN staff, including humanitarian and peacekeeping personnel, who are operating in these extremely hostile conditions.
In the face of the massive escalation of violence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the region, respect for international humanitarian law and the implementation of this Security Council resolutions are fundamental and indispensable milestones for deescalation and the path to peace. Peace must be based on a two-state solution.
So, once again, repeat: there must be an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, as this Council has been calling for over the past months. Now.
Switzerland remains ready to take with the other members of this Council - together - the necessary steps to achieve this.
Thank you.