BERLIN

A new poll has found that the majority of Germans are becoming more critical of the Israeli government’s policies and the ongoing military offensive in Gaza.

Some 61% of Germans said they believe that Israel’s military actions in Gaza are unjustified as they have claimed too many civilian victims. Only 25% voiced support for Israel’s ongoing military offensive.

The representative poll was commissioned by the German public broadcaster ZDF, and it was conducted by the foundation Forschungsgruppe Wahlen last week.

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.