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BERLIN (AA) - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has criticized Israel's military offensive in Gaza, saying the growing number of civilian casualties can no longer be justified.

In an interview with public broadcaster ARD on Tuesday night, Merz disclosed that he speaks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu almost every week and has expressed serious concerns about Israel's military campaign in Gaza.

“And I told him some time ago that you will lose your best friends if you carry on like this. You have to explain what is happening,” Merz said. “And these massive casualties among the civilian population are no longer understandable. By the way, I'd like to know what you're actually planning? What is the goal of the military actions in the Gaza Strip?” he said.

The German chancellor said European leaders voiced concern about Gaza during their EU summit in Brussels last week. "We made a very clear and unequivocal call to the Israeli government in the European Council last week. We wanted them to stop this now and to ensure that a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip would be possible," he said.

Since Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza in 2023, more than 57,000 Palestinians have been killed, and over 100,000 others wounded, most of them women and children.

Israel is currently facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its actions in Gaza, where at least 1.9 million Palestinians remain displaced and face severe shortages of food, medical supplies, and other essentials.