News - Germany calls on Israel to stop violence in Gaza

During a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that "the time has come" to sign an agreement with the Hamas movement on the release of hostages and a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, German government spokesperson Wolfgang Buchner told reporters, DW reports. Many of Israel's goals in the war against Hamas have been achieved, but "the human suffering and casualties among the civilian population are enormous," Scholz told the Israeli PM. The head of the German government expressed serious concern regarding the threat of regional conflict in the Middle East. Also, he made it clear to Netanyahu that Berlin strongly condemns the threats against Israel by Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah movement. Also during the conversation, Scholz noted that a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip would be an important step toward the de-escalation of the situation in the region. "Now, more than ever, it is important to break the destructive spiral of retaliatory violence, reduce tensions, and work constructively for de-escalation," Buchner said, presenting the German Chancellor's position.