Israeli plan to extend control in Gaza provokes German concern

Germany expressed concern about Israeli plans to extend military control of Gaza and opposed any permanent division of the territory. The concern followed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s order for Israeli forces to increase control to 70 percent of the enclave. The October ceasefire brokered with U.S. and regional involvement required Israeli forces to pull back to about half of Gaza, but control has expanded steadily while fighting Hamas. The expansion raises fears of a return to full-scale war and would worsen conditions for Gaza’s 2.3 million residents living in about 35 percent of the enclave. Germany, a close ally and major weapons supplier, has recently criticized other Israeli actions including West Bank annexation and the death penalty for Palestinians.

"A spokesperson for the German Foreign Office said on Friday that Berlin opposes any permanent division of Gaza. The comment came in response to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's order to the Israeli military to increase control in the enclave to 70 percent. Germany is one of Israel's closest allies and its second-largest weapons supplier after the US. However, in recent months Berlin has begun criticising some Israeli actions, including its annexation of more territory in the occupied West Bank, and the implementation of the death penalty solely for Palestinians."

"The expansion of Israeli occupation raises questions over the durability of the nominal ceasefire brokered by the United States and regional countries, including Qatar and Turkiye, in October. That deal required the Israeli military to pull back so it controlled about half of Gaza. However, it has steadily expanded control as it continues to fight Hamas, and fears are growing of a return to full-scale war. An expansion of Israeli control would also worsen conditions for Gaza's 2.3 million people already squeezed into about 35 percent of the small enclave."

"Netanyahu suggested Israel might even seize more than 70 percent of Gaza. We were at fifty, we moved to sixty, Netanyahu said as he explained that he has now ordered the military to increase control to 70 percent. Let's start with that, he added. We're pressing them [Hamas] from all sides. We'll deal with the remnants. Israel agreed to withdraw its troops to behind the Yellow Line' artificial border as the ceasefire came into effect in October, leaving it occupying about 53 percent of Gaza."

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