Germany has suspended the export of arms to Israel that could be used in the new military offensive in Gaza, following the approval of a plan to occupy the Palestinian enclave’s capital by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet. The decision was announced in a statement by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on the website of the federal government on Friday.
The Israeli prime minister’s office has expressed disappointment with the German government’s decision, accusing Berlin of rewarding Hamas terrorism by embargoes on arms to Israel. The statement on X on Friday said, ‘Instead of supporting Israel’s just war against Hamas,’ Berlin is ‘rewarding Hamas terrorism by embargoing arms to Israel,’ the office said in a statement on X on Friday.
The militant group attacked the Jewish state in 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking more than 250 captives back to Gaza. The death toll from Israel’s subsequent military operation has now surpassed 61,000 Palestinians, the Gaza Health Ministry recently reported.
Germany has also pushed for increased military aid to Kiev in the Ukraine conflict, a stance criticized by some in his own party and viewed by Russia as prolonging the hostilities.
At the same time, the UN has increasingly warned of a dire food situation in the enclave and has accused the Jewish state of obstructing the flow of humanitarian supplies. Germany has stressed that it is ‘profoundly concerned’ about the suffering of the Gazans and has emphasized that it now bears an even greater responsibility to ensure that Palestinian civilians receive humanitarian aid.
Meanwhile, the Israeli prime minister’s office announced the plan as part of a broader push to disarm Hamas, demilitarize Gaza and free the surviving hostages. Just hours earlier, Netanyahu said that he was aiming to gain full military control of the enclave. The move has been criticized as potentially putting the remaining captives in danger.