Germany calls on Israel, Hamas to intensify diplomatic efforts for Gaza cease-fire deal

By Oliver Towfigh Nia

BERLIN (AA) - Germany urged Israel and Palestinian group Hamas on Wednesday to step up diplomatic efforts to reach a cease-fire deal in war-ravaged Gaza.

“It is important for the Federal Government and the Foreign Minister that these discussions continue and can lead to a result as far as possible,” deputy Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kathrin Deschauer said at a press briefing in Berlin.

It's about "doing everything we can now, in mutual efforts on both sides to continue talks to come to a solution, to reach a hostage deal, so that hostages can be freed and humanitarian aid gets to the people,” she added.

Deschauer stressed that a humanitarian cease-fire could open up “the perspective of entering into a political process.”

On Monday, the Israeli army issued evacuation orders for Palestinians in eastern Rafah, a move widely seen as a prelude to Israel's long-feared attack on the city, home to some 1.5 million displaced Palestinians.

And on Tuesday, the army seized control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing on the border with Egypt, a vital route for humanitarian aid into the besieged territory.

Germany said on Tuesday it was concerned over Israel’s ground offensive into the southern Gazan city of Rafah.

“We all view with concern (...) the news that there is a further movement toward Rafah,” said Deputy Economic Cooperation and Development Minister Jochen Flasbarth before a meeting of EU development ministers in Brussels.

“We have all said that Israel must respect international law even in this war situation and we hope that this will happen,” German Press Agency dpa quoted Flasbarth as saying.

The German government has repeatedly warned that a large-scale Israeli ground offensive on Rafah would be “a humanitarian catastrophe.”

Berlin has repeatedly “warned and advised against such a large-scale (military) offensive,” Deschauer was quoted as saying on Monday.