Germany Announces Suspension of Arms Exports to Israel

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced the suspension of arms exports to Israel following escalating military operations in the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli security cabinet approved military takeover of Gaza on Friday amid already deepening humanitarian crisis in the small strip of land which was home to nearly 2 million people before the current war.

The German government stated that it would not approve such exports until further notice, citing the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Following Israel’s decision to increase its operations in the Gaza Strip, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in a written statement, “Weapons exports that could be used in the Gaza Strip will not be approved until further notice.”

Merz stated that Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas and emphasized that negotiations for a ceasefire and the release of prisoners are priorities for the German government.

"The Israeli cabinet's decision last night to intensify the Israeli army's military operations in the Gaza Strip makes it increasingly unclear to the German government how these objectives can be achieved. Under these circumstances, the German government will not approve arms exports that could be used in the Gaza Strip until further notice."

Merz said the following at the end of his statement:

“Furthermore, the German government urgently requests the Israeli government not to take any further steps towards annexation of the West Bank.”

Germany's defense industry exports to Israel

As a major supplier of Israel's defense infrastructure, Germany has approved the sale of various systems for many years. Among the main military products Germany sells to Israel are:

Dolphin Class Submarines

Germany has sold six Dolphin-class submarines to Israel to date. These submarines form the backbone of the Israeli Navy's strategic submarine fleet. Some of the submarines were financed with direct German financial contributions.

Trophy Active Protection System

German defense company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) has partnered with Israel’s Rafael to supply the Israeli-made Trophy APS (Active Protection System) for integration into German Leopard 2 tanks.

Radar and Sensor Systems

German company Hensoldt has sold radar systems to Israel for its air defense needs, including early warning radars.

Air Defense Systems Components

Germany indirectly contributes to the production of some subcomponents of the Iron Dome system. This system, a key pillar of Israel's missile defense architecture, relies on component production from several European-based supply chains.