German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a phone call Friday he hoped for a "speedy ceasefire" in Gaza, government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius said.
Merz also called for the "immediate release" of all hostages held by Hamas, including German citizens. He "stressed that the urgently needed humanitarian aid must now reach the people in the Gaza Strip in a safe and humane manner" and that the "disarmament of Hamas is imperative", according to his office.
Kornelius added that Merz supported a lasting post-war arrangement for Gaza that addresses Israel’s security and the Palestinian right to self-determination. The chancellor also opposed any steps toward the "annexation of the West Bank."
