Switzerland condemns Israeli attack on Rafah camp for displaced people

Switzerland on Wednesday condemned Israel's Sunday attack on a camp for displaced people in the city of Rafah in southern Gaza, causing the deaths of dozens.

At Wednesday's UN Security Council, Bern expressed "extreme concern" about the spiral of violence, which reached a "new level" last weekend, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"Switzerland strongly condemns the Israeli attack on a camp for displaced persons in Rafah on 26 May," the ministry said.

It drew attention to the Gazans' "dire need" of protection as they had already been displaced, facing the threat of famine and continuing to suffer from the hostilities.

The country also condemned "continued" Hamas attacks on Israel "as was the case on 26 May," calling such attacks a violation of international humanitarian law.

Switzerland recalled in New York that all parties must comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law and reiterated to the council its call for an immediate cease-fire, safe and unhindered humanitarian access and the immediate and unconditional release of hostages, the ministry said.

It also addressed the situation in the West Bank, according to the statement, condemning the violence perpetrated by Israeli settlers, including repeated attacks on UN facilities in East Jerusalem and on humanitarian aid convoys.

- Implementation of ICJ measures one of 'prerequisites' for de-escalation

The Foreign Ministry said Switzerland also showed the implementation of the UN top court's decision as one of the needed "prerequisites" for de-escalation.

"Respect for international humanitarian law by all parties, as well as the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions and the preventive measures of the International Court of Justice, are prerequisites for de-escalation," it said.

It reiterated that the country remains "firmly convinced" that only a negotiated two-state solution, in which Israel and Palestine live side by side in peace and security within recognized borders, is the basis for lasting peace in the Middle East.

Israel has launched a brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023 following a Hamas attack, killing more than 36,170 people and injuring at least 81,400 others.

Nearly eight months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel stands accused of “genocide” at the International Court of Justice, which in its latest ruling has ordered Tel Aviv to immediately halt its operation in Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.