BERLIN

A group of activists chained themselves to railway tracks at the Port of Hamburg in Germany to protest the government's arms exports to Israel and draw attention to civilian suffering in Gaza.

Around 40 demonstrators took part in the action on Friday, blocking the rail line between the Eurogate and Burchardkai container terminals. The group prevented freight transport by occupying the tracks for several hours.

Jule Fink, a spokesperson for the activists' group, said they took part in civil disobedience to show solidarity with Palestine.

"It is clear that the Israeli government has been committing war crimes in Palestine for a long time. This is genocide, and the German government is actively complicit. Germany continues exporting weapons to Israel through its ports. Why do the people of Hamburg allow their port to be used for arms shipments?" she said.

Due to safety concerns, the 15,000-volt power lines above the tracks were grounded during the protest.

Some port workers showed support for the demonstration. The protest was ended by police officers who carried the activists off the tracks one by one.