DiCarlo calls on Middle East parties to end missile-based communication

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Jul 31. (EUROPA PRESS) –

Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo has called on the United Nations Security Council to end all communication in the Middle East “through missiles, armed drones and other deadly attacks.”

DiCarlo warned the Council that the latest attacks in the region, especially after the death of the leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) Ismail Haniyeh, represent a “serious and dangerous” escalation.

“They take place in the midst of the war in Gaza, where Hamas continues to hold hostages kidnapped since 7 October amid ongoing hostilities and a catastrophic humanitarian situation for the Palestinian population in the Strip,” he said.

In this regard, he pointed out that “rapid and effective diplomatic efforts are needed to reduce tensions” and echoed the words of Secretary General António Guterres, who urged the international community to work to prevent any action that could destabilise the region.

DiCarlo told the Council that the most notable of these events was the death of the Hamas leader in an attack blamed on Israel and carried out in the Iranian capital, Tehran, where he was staying at the invitation of the Iranian government.

He also referred to the Israeli attack in Beirut, which killed Fuad Shukr, a senior commander of the Shiite militia party Hezbollah. At least five people were killed in the bombing, including two children.

He also recalled the death of twelve Israeli Druze children in the town of Majdal Shams in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights after being hit by what Israel said was an Iranian rocket launched by Hezbollah from Lebanon. However, the militia denies any involvement and attributes what happened to an Israeli anti-aircraft interceptor missile.

DiCarlo also had a few words for the journalist and cameraman from the Qatari channel Al Jazeera who died in the Gaza Strip as victims of an attack carried out by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the context of the war against Hamas.