UPDATE - Germany’s Merz says Israel's actions in Gaza can no longer be justified as 'fighting terrorism’

UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS FROM MERZ, REVISES DECK

By Anadolu staff

BERLIN (AA) - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz sharply criticized Israel on Monday for violating international humanitarian law in Gaza and said he would raise these concerns with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week.

"What the Israeli army is doing now in the Gaza Strip, harming the civilian population to such an extent, as has increasingly been the case in recent days, can no longer be justified as a fight against terrorism," he said at the WDR European Forum in Berlin.

The conservative leader acknowledged that Germany has been reluctant so far to publicly criticize Israel due to its historical responsibility. However, he emphasized that he can no longer understand any military objectives in Israel's current actions.

"When boundaries are crossed, where international humanitarian law is truly violated, Germany and the German chancellor must also say something about it," Merz said, adding that he will raise the concerns when he speaks with Netanyahu this week.

The chancellor also criticized the Israeli military's latest bombing of a school in Gaza, which killed at least 25 people and wounded many more.

"I have to say that what happened this weekend—when another kindergarten in the Gaza Strip was hit—is a human tragedy and a political catastrophe," Merz said, adding that the German government was in contact with Israeli officials to raise concerns about the military offensive.