A German church organization representing both Catholic and Protestant churches on Wednesday urged a halt in arms exports to Israel amid the fragile ceasefire in Gaza.
The Joint Conference Church and Development called on the German government "not to supply Israel with any military equipment that could be used in the Gaza Strip, even after the very fragile ceasefire (Oct. 10 declaration), until the situation in Gaza has stabilized sufficiently and there is no longer a clear risk that this military equipment could be used in serious violations of international humanitarian law," Karl Juesten, the group's co-chair, told a press briefing in Berlin.
He criticized Berlin's recent decision to resume arms deliveries to Gaza, calling it "premature."
Juesten stressed that "Israel's conduct of the war in the Gaza Strip is in many respects incompatible with the requirements of international humanitarian law, particularly with regard to the treatment of the civilian population."
Germany announced on Nov. 17 that it would lift restrictions on arms exports to Israel, citing what it called a "stabilized ceasefire" in Gaza and recent diplomatic progress in the region.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz had ordered the restrictions on Aug. 8, halting approval of arms exports that could be used in the Gaza war. The decision came in response to Israel's announcement of a full-scale ground offensive and the stopping of aid deliveries into Gaza.
Germany's arms exports to Israel have long been contentious and the subject of legal challenges by rights groups and Gaza residents. The European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights, which supported plaintiffs in their legal action, has repeatedly said that Berlin's authorization of weapons exports to Israel violates international agreements Germany signed, including the Geneva Convention on the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide.
Palestinians accuse Israel of repeatedly violating the Gaza ceasefire agreement. At least 393 people have been killed and 1,074 others injured in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Israel has killed over 70,000 people, mostly women and children, and injured more than 171,000 in Gaza since October 2023 and reduced most of the enclave to rubble.
