Mr. President,
I would like to thank the Under-Secretary-General, Ms DiCarlo, and Major General Beary, Head of UNMHA, for their statements.
Switzerland is deeply concerned by the developments of the last few days. We condemn the drone attack claimed by the Houthis against Tel Aviv on Friday July 19. One person died as a result of this attack, while a dozen others were injured. We deplore the strike in Hodeïda carried out by the Israeli army in response to this attack. It caused the death of several people, wounded nearly eighty others, and caused considerable damage to civilian infrastructure. The humanitarian impact of these strikes is considerable. The port of Hodeïda remains an essential crossing point for the transport of oil and energy for the country, as well as food and medicines for those in need. We reiterate that any military operation must respect international law, including the UN Charter and international humanitarian law. We also extend our condolences to the families of all the victims in Israel and Yemen.
Every attack in the region, including the latest missile strikes against Eilat, brings us closer to an even more serious regional escalation, a risk we have a responsibility to mitigate.
As such, we reiterate our call made at this year's first Council meeting on the situation in the Red Sea: this Council must stand united and fulfill its mandate in accordance with international law. All actors in the region must exercise caution and the utmost restraint, and at all times respect international law, including the UN Charter and international humanitarian law.
These strikes are taking place against a particularly tense backdrop. The situation in the Middle East and its regional repercussions, including in the Red Sea, present the risk of escalation in Yemen and the region. The situation in Gaza and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as well as rising tensions along the Blue Line, remain alarming. Only political solutions can bring peace and security to the whole region. A ceasefire in Gaza, and an end to attacks by armed groups in the region, are urgently needed. Security Council resolutions must be implemented immediately. The same applies to Yemen. The measures taken by this Council to promote a resolution of the conflict in Yemen through dialogue, in particular the arms embargo established by resolution 2216, must be strictly respected.
Mr. President,
We are deeply concerned by the events of the last few days. Respect for international law, dialogue between the parties to the conflict and de-escalation must be our priorities.
Switzerland supports the efforts of the United Nations to this end.
Thank you.