Statement by Foreign Minister Eide on the Suffering of Civilians in the Middle East

'Across the Middle East, civilians have been caught in the crossfire. I am deeply concerned about the suffering people are now enduring. In Iran, more than 170 people were killed when a girls' school in the city of Minab was bombed. The World Health Organization (WHO) has verified 18 attacks on Iranian hospitals so far. In Lebanon, more than 700 people have been killed and at least 800,000 displaced, in a country that already hosts a large number of refugees from other states. Lebanon's health system has also been directly affected by attacks. Innocent civilians in Israel, Palestine, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain have also been killed and injured'.

'This is unacceptable. Civilians must be protected in times of war. It is particularly grave when humanitarian workers, health personnel and others on the front line of assistance become targets of military attacks'.

'There is also great cause for concern when critical civilian infrastructure, such as schools, hospitals, homes, and water and electricity supply systems, is struck by hostilities. When the foundations of a society are destroyed, rebuilding becomes far more demanding and costly once the weapons fall silent. The livelihoods of millions of people can be wiped out overnight when workplaces, the environment and crops are destroyed by war. What war destroys in an instant may take generations to rebuild'.

'International humanitarian law obliges parties to a conflict to protect civilians. This obligation applies to all parties, at all times'.

'I once again urge the parties to de-escalate and to seek diplomatic solutions to the conflicts'.