German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has announced that Germany will halt the supply of weapons to Israel that could potentially be used in the Gaza Strip.
According to him, Israel’s actions make it difficult to achieve the original goals of the operation, News.Az reports citing foreign media.
“Under these circumstances, the German government will not approve the export of military equipment that can be used in the Gaza Strip until further notice,” Merz said.
He also reiterated the German government’s previous position on Israel’s right to self-defense against Hamas.
“The release of hostages and decisive ceasefire negotiations are our priority. Disarmament of Hamas is essential,” the Chancellor emphasized.
However, he noted that the announced “even harsher military actions of the Israeli army” made it less and less clear how it could be achieved.
“The German government remains deeply concerned about the ongoing suffering of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip. In view of the planned offensive, the Israeli government has an even greater responsibility than before to ensure that the population has everything it needs,” Merz added.
Meanwhile, the chancellor is under increasing pressure from coalition members who believe that Berlin should take a tougher stance against Israel over the situation in the Gaza Strip.
Germany did not join the joint statement of almost 30 Western countries, including the UK and France, calling on Israel to stop the fighting as soon as possible.
On August 1, Slovenia banned the import, export, and transit of weapons to and from Israel, becoming the first European Union member state to do so.
A Belgian court also decided to suspend the transit of military supplies to Israel through Flanders.
The decision was the result of a lawsuit filed by four human rights organizations claiming that weapons passing through the port of Antwerp could contribute to war crimes in Gaza.
