German chancellor Friedrich Merz has announced plans for a humanitarian airlift for Gaza via Jordan and demanded Israel do more in the region.
After meeting King Abdullah II of Jordan in Berlin on Monday, Mr Merz said France and the UK had signed up to the German plan to rush food and medical aid to the region – but offered few other details.
“Israel has to end the humanitarian situation immediately, comprehensively and sustainably,” said Mr Merz in a statement. “Israel has to end the suffering of the civilian population quickly and adequately and allow in humanitarian and medical help.”
He described Israel’s decision on Sunday to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza as an “important first step, after which others must follow quickly”.
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Mr Merz added that “no further expulsions from Gaza” must be permitted, no further annexation in the West Bank and that “all channels” must be used to secure a ceasefire agreement from Hamas.
Mr Merz’s move follows increasingly critical weekend coverage in the German media of the situation in Gaza.
On Monday evening, Mr Merz was set to speak by telephone with Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
Despite the critical tone, the German leader insisted there was no doubt in Berlin that it was “the barbarous and inhumane terror of Hamas on October 7th, 2023, that triggered the battles in Gaza”.
Amid plans by France to recognise Palestinian statehood, the chancellor said “no decision is looming” on German recognition. He described this as the “last, concluding step” in any two-state solution agreement.
