BERLIN

A group of mothers in Germany staged a protest Thursday outside the Chancellery, calling on the government to take a tougher stance against Israel amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The initiative, calling itself "Mothers and More Against Merz,” criticized the German government and Chancellor Friedrich Merz for what it described as silence and inaction over Israel’s military actions.

The group demanded that the government push back against Israel’s blockade of aid deliveries and halt all weapons exports to Israel.

Citing the violation of international law in Gaza, it also called for the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

The mothers also called for the protection of the right to freedom of assembly in Germany and an end to the criminalization of voices expressing solidarity with Palestinians.

“It is unacceptable for politics to remain ineffective in the face of months of humanitarian catastrophe," said a statement by the group.

It also stressed that Germany must increase pressure on the Israeli government.

The Israeli army has launched a brutal military offensive on the Gaza Strip, killing more than 64,200 Palestinians following a cross-border attack on Israel by the Hamas group on Oct. 7, 2023.

The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.