Statement on the situation in Yemen
13 February 2025 – Statement by the Republic of Slovenia at the meeting on the situation in the Middle East, Yemen
Statement by Representative of Slovenia to the UN Security Council Ambassador Samuel Žbogar at the Arria-formula meeting titled “Condemning Hostage-Taking in Israel on October 7 as a Psychological Tool of Terrorism”
Thank you very much, Madam Chair,
I also want to thank the US for organizing this discussion that enables us to focus on the hostages. I also want to thank all the briefers today for their briefings, for sharing their stories, for sharing their pain, for sharing their love. Thank you very much.
I want to start by conveying a message that we have shared countless times but we will do so again and again: Slovenia unequivocally condemns the hostage-taking by Hamas and other groups on October 7. We condemn the practice and continuing pattern of hostage-taking by Hamas. The taking of hostages is prohibited under international customary law and is considered a war crime, also under the Rome Statute of the ICC.
We repeat our call for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. We commend Egypt, Qatar and the US for the efforts that they are putting into negotiating an agreement for a ceasefire.
We are talking about human beings, including children, sons, daughters, sisters, older persons, persons with disabilities, taken hostage from their own homes, as we heard today. Young people enjoying life at a festival taken hostage as we also heard today. Nothing can ever justify holding anyone hostage. Civilians should never be used as a bargaining chip.
Slovenia is profoundly concerned over the condition of the hostages still being held in Gaza. We are deeply alarmed that there are reasonable grounds to believe that sexual violence has been committed against those held hostage and may be ongoing. The consequences of prolonged and multiple human rights violations and abuses will require a complex rehabilitation process for survivors and their families.
International law is clear: all persons deprived of liberty shall be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person. The prohibitions against the taking of hostages, abductions or unacknowledged detention are not subject to derogation. Moreover, all persons enjoying protection under international law must be respected, treated humanely and in accordance with the requirements of the law.
We underline the need for the International Committee of the Red Cross to have access to both the hostages in Gaza as well as to other detainees. Furthermore, we underscore that as a matter of customary humanitarian law, those deprived of their liberty must be allowed to correspond with their families.
Madam Chair,
It is also important to address the phenomenon within the general normative and institutional framework aimed at combating terrorism, including the International Convention against the Taking of Hostages. Consequently, we underline the importance of the Council maintaining focus on the issue of hostage-taking as a tool of terrorism. This has also been a focus of numerous Council resolutions, including 1566 and more specifically resolution 2133.
More recently, the specific issue of hostage-taking by Hamas and other groups has been addressed in Council resolutions 2712, 2720 and 2728. Slovenia underlines the binding nature of all Security Council resolutions.
Madam Chair,
The trauma of survivors, their families and loved ones will likely define them for their lifetime and reshape Israeli society. However, we underline it must not define the response in relation to the Gaza war. The obligation to respect international humanitarian law and human rights law does not depend on reciprocity.
Traumas experienced by Israeli and Palestinian societies should be a guiding light for this Council to act in a firm, united and unquestionable manner. Slovenia therefore repeats its call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages and delivery of humanitarian aid at scale.
Thank you.
13 February 2025 – Statement by the Republic of Slovenia at the meeting on the situation in the Middle East, Yemen
12 February 2025 – Statement by Representative of Slovenia to the UN Security Council Ambassador Samuel Žbogar at the meeting on the situation in the Middle East, Syria
11 February 2025 – Statement by Ambassador Samuel Žbogar, Chargé d’ affaires, at the 63rd Session of the Commission for Social Development, Agenda item 3(a) and (b), general discussion