Germany to stop exporting military equipment to Israel that could be used in Gaza

Germany will stop sending military equipment to Israel that could be used in Gaza, the German chancellor announced Friday.

"The even tougher military action by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip, which was decided last night by the Israeli Security Cabinet, makes it increasingly difficult for the [German] Federal Government to see how these goals can be achieved," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in a statement. "Under these circumstances, the German government will not authorize any exports of military equipment that could be used in the Gaza Strip until further notice."

Germany has supplied a third of Israel's arms imports between 2020 and 2024, according to NPR. 

In the past, Merz has called on the Israeli government to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Merz's announcement comes shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that the country's security cabinet approved a plan to take over Gaza City. 

Netanyahu told reporters before the security council meeting, which began Thursday and stretched into Friday morning local time, that he planned to take over Gaza before turning it over to nearby allies who opposed Hamas.