Israel's war on Gaza 'no longer justifed', Germany's Merz says

Israel's war on Gaza is no longer justified, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday, in his sharpest rebuke yet of Israel. 

“To harm the civilian population in such a way as has increasingly been the case in recent days can no longer be justified by a fight against Hamas terrorism,” Merz said at an event held by German broadcaster WDR.

Merz, who has been a staunch defender of Israel, said that Israel had pushed its assault on Gaza to such a level that he could “frankly no longer understand the goal of what the Israeli army is doing" in the enclave.