BERLIN

The German government has rejected an offer by the northern city of Hanover to accept up to 20 injured and traumatized children from the Gaza Strip, media reports said Tuesday.

"We deeply regret the response from the Federal Interior Ministry. The refusal is disappointing and incomprehensible," said Belit Onay, Hanover's mayor, who comes from a Turkish immigrant family.

Onay’s remarks were echoed by Hanover’s Regional President Steffen Krach, who pointed out that more than 16,000 people in Gaza depend on care from abroad.

"Not providing this assistance at least to those who need it most – namely the children – is cruel," Krach added.

A ministry letter obtained by the German Press Agency (dpa) says that even after recent progress in ending the fighting, the situation in the Gaza Strip remains "very confusing and unpredictable."

This also applies to the authorities on the Israeli and Egyptian sides, who would be responsible for issuing exit permits, it said.

The transfer of children for treatment in Germany involves complex procedures – for example, clarifying the identity of those affected, the accompanying family members and their security assessment, the costs, and the question of realistic return options.

From the German government's perspective, the letter said it would be more advantageous to support the treatment of the injured and seriously ill locally.

The letter added: "I hope I have made it clear that we are united in our desire to provide assistance to the affected civilian population, especially the children, in Gaza, but that we see a different way, from our perspective, to provide assistance to as many people as possible."​​​​​​​

In addition to Hanover, cities such as Bremen, Dusseldorf, Leipzig, Bonn, Frankfurt, and Kiel have also joined the initiative. The Protestant church in the central German state of Lower Saxony, where Hanover is located, also supports the initiative.