German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday that recent Israeli attacks against Gaza have made a humanitarian number on civilians who can no longer be justified as a fight against terrorism.
“The injury to the civilian population has such a measure, as has been increasingly the case in recent days, can no longer be justified as a fight against Hamas terrorism,” he told WDR broadcaster in a television interview.
He added that he planned to have an appeal with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week to tell him “not to do too much”, although for “historical reasons”, Germany would always be more kept in his criticism than certain European partners.
The help entered the enclave after the 11 -week blockade
A hundred trucks carrying humanitarian aid from the UN and the international community, including flour, baby food and medical equipment, were transferred Wednesday by the passage of Kerem Shalom in Gaza after Israel has lifted a 11 -week blockage and began to allow limited deliveries in the enclave via the passage.
THE IDF erased more More than 120 trucks carrying food aid for distribution in Gaza last week, but there is an in progress debate on the quantity of Gazan civilians.
Palestinian trucks loaded with humanitarian crosspants in Gaza through Kerem Shalom Crossing, February 17, 2025 (credit: Abed Rahim Khatib / Flash90)
Hamas calls aid to “intelligence operation”, calls on gasians to reject
The Interior Ministry controlled by Hamas called the Gaza residents Do not cooperate with the new help mechanism Initiated by Israel, Walla reported on Monday. He said that this is an “information collection operation”, which they say, will lead to “fight for a piece of bread”.
The terrorist organization would have claimed that the N
The EW aid distribution mechanism is an intelligence operation to collect information and create an internal division, and that, according to them, Israel uses food as a weapon of war: “Resistance will oblige Israel to return to the old mechanism”.
The looting takes place, Hamas responds to executions
Five assistance trucks in the Gaza Strip were looted on Saturday
Y, the Israeli media reported. The stolen goods were sold to gas at prices inflated in areas such as Deir El-Balah and the Nuseirat refugee camp.
Hamas executed four men To plunder some of the help trucks that started entering Gaza, sources familiar with the incident said on Monday, while a clan chief in southern Gaza issued a militant group to keep the convoys.
“The four criminals, which were executed, were involved in looting crimes and causing the deaths of members of a force responsible for obtaining aid trucks,” one of the sources in Reuters said.
Merz supports the close ties of Germany, Israel
“It is always important for the German government to keep its communication routes open with the Israeli government and to be able to assert its points directly,” said Merz Stefanlius spokesman said a regular press conference Last week.
Merz and Netanyahu held a phone call Earlier this month, during which the German Chancellor expressed his concern concerning the fate of the remaining hostages in Gaza and the humanitarian situation in the enclave, with Merz expressing “his hope that negotiations on a ceasefire would take place soon”.
Following the national elections, Merz announced that he invited Netanyahu to visit Germany and said that he would find a means for the Israeli Prime Minister to visit without being arrested under a mandate by the International Criminal Court.
“I think it is a completely absurd idea that an Israeli Prime Minister cannot visit the Federal Republic of Germany,” said Merz.
