Germany halts military equipment exports to Israel amid Gaza concerns

In response to Israel’s plan to expand its ground offensive in the Gaza Strip, German opposition leader Friedrich Merz stated that the German government will not approve the export of military equipment to Israel that could be used in the region until further notice.

Merz, the leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), while asserting Israel’s “right to defend itself against Hamas’s terror,” called on the Tel Aviv government to “refrain from any steps toward annexing the West Bank.”

Merz stated that Berlin’s priorities are ceasefire negotiations and the release of hostages held by Hamas.

He said it is “increasingly difficult to understand” how the Israeli army’s ground offensive plan would help achieve legitimate goals such as disarming Hamas and rescuing the hostages.

“Hamas should not play a role in the future of Gaza,” the opposition leader added.

While supporting Israel’s security, Merz expressed deep concern over the “ongoing suffering of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip” and called on Israeli leaders to exercise restraint in their military operations.

This week in Germany, 162 prominent figures from the art world signed a letter urging the Chancellor to take action regarding Israel’s attacks on Gaza.

According to DW Türkçe, another 162 individuals, including Fatih Akın, declared their support for a letter signed last week by more than 200 other famous personalities.

The letter urged the Chancellor to take action, stating, “We also condemn in the strongest terms the horrific crimes committed by Hamas, but no crime justifies the collective punishment of millions of innocent people in the most brutal way.”