Germany and Finland urge Israel to allow aid into Gaza

Germany and Finland want to "put pressure" on the Israeli government to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said Tuesday.

"What we see in the Gaza Strip is by no means acceptable - the suffering caused there, the killings - it has to be stopped," the German leader said at a press conference in Turku, Finland, after a meeting with Orpo.

"Humanitarian aid must get there immediately, we have to pressure Israel to ensure the aid truly reaches its destination. But it is also crucial that Hamas does not prevent the humanitarian aid from arriving," he added.

After more than two months of a total blockade on humanitarian aid, Israel allowed trickles of deliveries last week to Gaza, which has been starved and devastated by more than 19 months of war.

"Humanitarian aid must arrive immediately, and we must pressure Israel to guarantee it reaches its destination, as well as ensure that Hamas does not prevent it from arriving," Petteri Orpo concurred.

These statements come as pressure is mounting on Israel to cease its attack on the besieged Palestinian territory.

The German chancellor threatened Monday not to continue supporting the Netanyahu government due to the intensification of its military offensive.

"What has happened in recent days no longer seems absolutely necessary to defend Israel's right to existence and fight against Hamas terrorism," Merz said in Finland.

Due to its history (about six million Jews perished because of the Nazis' extermination policy), Berlin views the security and existence of Israel as a state raison d'être for Germany.

In neighboring Sweden, the Foreign Ministry summoned the Israeli ambassador on Tuesday to demand "immediate, safe, and unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza."

"Israel must comply with its obligations to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure under international humanitarian law," according to the statement.