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Following massive Israeli attacks in the Lebanese capital Beirut, 203 people have been killed. More than a thousand were injured.
Keystone
Switzerland has joined seven other countries in sounding the alarm about the crisis in Lebanon. In a joint declaration, the countries called for an immediate end to the fighting and the protection of civilians and humanitarian personnel.
The group of states consisting of Switzerland, Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Jordan, Sierra Leone and the United Kingdom welcomed the ceasefire agreed between the USA, Israel and Iran, as they announced on Thursday. Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected from the effects of the hostilities.
The high number of civilian casualties reported on Wednesday underlines the urgent need to protect the civilian population and humanitarian personnel and to respect international humanitarian law under all circumstances, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) wrote on Platform X, calling for urgent de-escalation and dialog.
Humanitarian personnel must be respected and protected. The countries condemned actions that had killed UN peacekeepers and increased the risks for aid workers in southern Lebanon. Attacks that threaten the safety of humanitarian personnel must stop, the joint statement said.
Accountability and justice were crucial in cases of violations of international law that harmed humanitarian personnel. The states recalled a declaration made by over 100 nations in September 2025 on the protection of aid workers in conflict zones.
As recently as March, Switzerland provided CHF 7.5 million for humanitarian aid in Lebanon, Syria and Iran. At the same time, Swiss diplomacy is working to de-escalate the conflict in the region.
09.04.2026, 16:59
