Germany issues strongest warning yet to Israel over Gaza offensive

Germany's foreign minister issued a pointed warning to Israel on Tuesday, signalling potential punitive measures and affirming that Berlin would not permit arms exports in violation of international humanitarian law. The statement, delivered alongside Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s most forthright criticism to date regarding the Gaza conflict, marks a decisive shift in Germany’s stance on the war in Gaza, as per a Reuters report.

Until recently, Germany — alongside the United States — had consistently endorsed Israel’s military operations following the Hamas-led assaults on Israelis on 7 October 2023. However, as international condemnation of Israel's actions has grown, including from the European Union, the United Kingdom, France, and Canada, Germany has begun to recalibrate its approach.

In an interview with public broadcaster WDR, foreign minister Johann Wadephul cautioned against the misuse of Germany’s historic commitment to Israel. He cited intensifying aerial bombardments and dire shortages of essential supplies in Gaza as rendering the humanitarian situation “unbearable”.

Earlier the same day, Chancellor Merz criticised Israel’s air strikes in Gaza, stating that they could no longer be justified on the basis of combating Hamas and describing them as “no longer comprehensible” during a press briefing in Finland.

While the policy shift does not constitute a full diplomatic break, it is notably significant given Germany’s post-war doctrine of Staatsräson — a principle underscoring the state’s special responsibility towards Israel owing to the legacy of the Holocaust. The recent change in rhetoric also mirrors evolving public sentiment within Germany.

“Our committed fight against anti-Semitism and our full support for the right to exist and the security of the state of Israel must not be instrumentalised for the conflict and the warfare currently being waged in the Gaza Strip,” Wadephul remarked.

He went on to say: “We are now at a point where we have to think very carefully about what further steps to take,” without elaborating further.

“Where we see dangers of harm, we will of course intervene and certainly not supply weapons so that there will be further harm,” he added, confirming that no fresh arms exports were presently under review.

This change in position follows increasing pressure from the junior coalition partner, the Social Democratic Party (SPD), which has called for a suspension of military supplies to Israel, arguing that continued support could render Germany complicit in violations of international law.

Escalating humanitarian crisis

In recent days, Israeli strikes have resulted in numerous casualties in Gaza, where over 2 million residents face deepening hunger and the threat of famine, according to a United Nations-supported monitoring body.

Although efforts to revive a truce that collapsed in March have shown little progress, diplomatic channels remain active, with one regional envoy indicating that talks in Doha are ongoing and that a resolution remains possible.

Hamas reportedly agreed to a proposal by US special envoy Steve Witkoff for a Gaza ceasefire, a Palestinian official close to the group told Reuters on Monday, raising hopes for a possible end to the war in Gaza, in which well over 50,000 Palestinians — more than half of them women and children — have so far been killed.

The shift in German policy is particularly striking given Merz’s previous campaign promises. Following his February election victory, Merz pledged to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Germany, despite an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant issued against the Israeli leader.

“The massive military strikes by the Israelis in the Gaza Strip no longer reveal any logic to me — how they serve the goal of confronting terror,” Merz stated while visiting Turku, Finland.

He declined to comment when asked specifically about the status of German arms exports to Israel. Wadephul clarified that such matters fall under the jurisdiction of a national security council chaired by Merz, whose proceedings remain confidential.

The Federal Foreign Office did not immediately respond to further enquiries about whether halting arms transfers would be among Germany’s forthcoming actions. Chancellor Merz is expected to hold discussions with Netanyahu later this week.

A photograph of Zikim beach — where Hamas militants landed during the 2023 incursion that resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths — hangs in Merz’s office. The image had long adorned his parliamentary workplace prior to his chancellorship.

Ron Prosor, Israel’s ambassador to Berlin, acknowledged German concerns in a statement on Tuesday but offered no commitments. “When Friedrich Merz raises this criticism of Israel, we listen very carefully because he is a friend,” Prosor told broadcaster ZDF.

Shifting public sentiment

Merz’s remarks come amid a growing wave of domestic opposition to Israel’s military actions. A recent survey conducted by Civey for Tagesspiegel revealed that 51 per cent of German respondents oppose the export of arms to Israel.

Public perception of Israel has also declined more broadly. According to a May poll by the Bertelsmann Foundation, only 36 per cent of Germans view Israel favourably — down from 46 per cent in 2021. Furthermore, only 25 per cent of Germans acknowledged a special responsibility toward Israel, in contrast to 64 per cent of Israelis who believe Germany bears such an obligation.

With agency inputs