Israeli plan to extend control in Gaza provokes German concern

The German government has expressed concern over Israeli plans to extend its military control of Gaza. 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. Recommended Stories list of 3 items end of list 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. 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 . Fears of annexation Speaking on Thursday, Netanyahu suggested Israel might even seize more than 70 percent of Gaza. …