BERLIN

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday issued a strong appeal to the Israeli government, calling for an immediate end to the heavy bombing of the Gaza Strip and urging the facilitation of humanitarian aid.

Speaking at a joint press conference in Berlin alongside Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, Merz said: "I want to repeat that here. The Israeli government must cease its intense military operations, allow for a ceasefire, and most importantly, permit humanitarian aid to reach the people."

Germany and Czechia did not sign a recent statement by 28 nations condemning the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The decision has sparked political tensions within Germany's coalition government, with the Social Democratic Party (SPD) calling for Berlin to support the declaration.

Asked about the decision, Merz said the content of the 28-nation statement was nearly identical to a previous European Council declaration.

"I actively participated in drafting the text we adopted at the European Council meeting in Brussels a few weeks ago," he said.

Merz rejected suggestions of internal divisions within the German coalition, saying: "On the contrary, the call for the Israeli government to immediately end the heavy bombardment of the Gaza Strip and allow humanitarian aid is the shared policy of the coalition government in Berlin."

"There is no divergence of views on the matter or the process," he added.

Merz also claimed to be one of the first to speak out on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. "In Germany, I was among the first to clearly state that the conditions in Gaza had become unacceptable," he said.

Czech Prime Minister Fiala reiterated his country’s support for Israel, while also calling for a balanced EU approach.

"It would be naive to think that a dignified life could be provided for the people of Gaza under the rule of organizations like Hamas," he said. However, he acknowledged: "Pressure must be put on Israel to comply with international rules and to reflect the humanitarian situation in Gaza."

More than two dozen countries, including the UK, Australia, and Japan, along with the European Union, condemned Israel's “inhumane killing” of civilians in the Gaza Strip, calling for an immediate end to the war in the besieged enclave.

In the joint statement on Monday, the foreign ministers of 28 countries and European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib said the suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached “new depths.”

“The Israeli government’s aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity,” it said.

More than 59,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip since October 2023, according to the enclave's Health Ministry. The relentless bombing and blockade have destroyed the enclave and led to deaths from starvation.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.