FRANKFURT: Israel must “immediately” improve humanitarian conditions in Gaza, the German government’s representative for human rights and humanitarian aid said Monday, ahead of a trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories.
Until recently Israel has enjoyed broad support across the political spectrum in Germany, but Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s tone toward Israel has sharpened as the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza has deteriorated.
Last month, the United Nations officially declared a famine in Gaza, after a UN-backed report warned that 500,000 people were facing “catastrophic” conditions in the war-ravaged territory.
“The Israeli government must improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza immediately, comprehensively, sustainably, and in accordance with humanitarian principles and international law,” said envoy Lars Castellucci, a lawmaker of the Social Democrats, which govern with Merz’s conservatives.
He condemned the “immeasurable” suffering of civilians, especially children, who are trapped in the conflict and “bear neither guilt nor responsibility.”
