Germany calls for faster aid to Gaza, says Israel should reconsider its military strategy

BERLIN

Germany’s foreign minister has called for better humanitarian access to Gaza, saying Israeli authorities should reconsider their military strategy to alleviate the civilian suffering.

Speaking at a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Annalena Baerbock described the current situation in Gaza as “a total disaster” both for Israel and the Palestinian civilians.

“Actually, we know the solution, we can only come out together on a plan on a cease-fire, on a plan on a two-states solution, but at the moment we are stuck in a vicious circle,” she said.

Baerbock said in order to break this vicious circle Hamas should free all hostages without condition, and measures should be taken to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinians in Gaza.

“There has to be the call from the whole international community that Hamas has to lay down its weapons, so Israel is not threatened from Gaza anymore,” Baerbock said.

“And obviously, and this is what others are asking from us like Germany standing with Israel's right to self-defense, obviously this includes also a change of strategy that not so many civilians are dying,” she added.

Baerbock said during her recent visit to the region she personally witnessed the suffering of Palestinian civilians at the Rafah border crossing.

She underlined that steps must be taken to ensure faster and better humanitarian access to Gaza.

“The access to Gaza has to change,” she said, and underlined that new border crossings, like Erez, should be opened to allow humanitarian aid into the Palestinian enclave.

“I was standing there (Rafah border crossing) besides estimated 3,000 trucks waiting to enter Gaza. People are starving there, and here's the food. So, the food and the water has to come in,” she said.

The foreign minister also acknowledged that Germany has come under growing pressure from other countries for its strong support to Israel.

“I went to the Philippines and Malaysia recently, we as Germany feel the consequences there, because in Malaysia, I was asked, do you have any sentiments against Muslim countries, because you are not calling for a cease-fire,” she said.

Despite growing public pressure, the German government remains one of the strongest supporters of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has repeatedly said that his country bears special responsibility for Israel due to its Nazi past.

Israel has launched a relentless military assault on Gaza after a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, which Tel Aviv says killed around 1,200 people.

During Israel’s military campaign, at least 24,285 Palestinians have been killed and 61,154 others injured. The majority of the victims were children and women.

According to the UN, 85% of the population of Gaza is already internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine.