International aid workers in Gaza view Germany as complicit in their plight due to the country's role in enforcing a blockade that impacts their humanitarian efforts.
The German federal government has decided to halt the export of weapons to Israel that could be used in the Gaza Strip, a move welcomed by Israeli historian Moshe Zimmermann. However, the situation in Gaza remains dire, with Lara Dovifat, head of the political department of Doctors Without Borders, describing it as catastrophic.
Tsafrir Cohen, director of Medico International, has called for international support, stating that the duty to help takes precedence. Cohen has also criticised both Israel and the federal government for a lack of empathy towards the suffering of the Palestinians.
In an effort to alleviate the suffering, several German cities, including Hanover, Düsseldorf, Bonn, Leipzig, and Kiel, have offered to accept and medically treat seriously ill or traumatized children affected by the conflict in Gaza. These cities require assistance from federal authorities to manage logistics such as selection, entry procedures, and coordination.
Despite acknowledging the humanitarian significance, the federal government has expressed reservations, citing security concerns, bureaucratic feasibility, and the preference to enhance aid efforts locally or regionally near Gaza. Aid organizations and city mayors argue that children in Gaza are suffering and dying due to slow bureaucratic processes, and that Germany should take a more proactive role in providing humanitarian relief by admitting these children.
Germany is already involved in humanitarian efforts, including plans to airlift aid directly to Gaza with Jordanian support and ongoing airdrops of relief supplies to the civilian population. The German government stresses the importance of delivering aid within the region, but the offer by these cities highlights the need for federal willingness to share responsibility and provide direct medical care to injured children unable to receive timely assistance locally.
Moshe Zimmermann, an Israeli historian, believes the German government's decision was long overdue, expressing concern for the Palestinians. Tsafrir Cohen, on the other hand, believes Germany bears some responsibility for the systematic destruction of healthcare and living conditions in Gaza.
As the conflict continues, the call for increased federal responsibility is growing. Aid organizations are urging the federal government to take more action to alleviate the suffering in the Gaza Strip. Further options, such as suspending the EU association agreement with Israel, are on the table if Netanyahu remains unimpressed.
The Commission is also proposing to extend the deadline for the adoption of new rules to address this issue of providing humanitarian relief, given the growing call for increased federal responsibility in alleviating the suffering in the Gaza Strip. This extended deadline comes amid ongoing political discussions and general news regarding war-and-conflicts, particularly in the Middle East.
