BERN:
Switzerland formally backed the call by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Friday.
Viola Amherd, President of the Swiss Confederation, highlighted the critical need to reduce suffering in the area.
“Switzerland supports the call by the US, Qatar, and Egypt to urgently establish a ceasefire in Gaza. The suffering must end, all hostages must be released, and unrestricted humanitarian aid must be provided,” she wrote on X.
Amherd stressed that a ceasefire is vital not only to halt the violence but also to contribute to broader regional de-escalation efforts.
According to local health authorities, nearly 40,000 Palestinians, primarily women and children, have been killed, and over 91,700 injured in Israel’s response to an attack by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, on 7 October.
More than 10 months into the Israeli offensive, large areas of Gaza remain in ruins under a severe blockade of essential supplies, including food, clean water, and medicine.
Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which has ordered it to immediately cease military operations in the southern city of Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had taken refuge before it was invaded on 6 May.