German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock stated during her visit to Tel Aviv on Saturday that "the international community must focus on mitigating the impact of ongoing military operations in Gaza on the civilian population." She said this in a press conference after meeting with her Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen on the second day of her Middle East tour: "All countries that wish to help must cooperate to ensure the containment of humanitarian suffering, regardless of which side they owe their loyalty to, even if they face opposition."
She added, "This is what I suggested in the Gulf and the West Bank and today in Israel, and this is what I will also convey to Brussels (for the EU foreign ministers)." Baerbock questioned how Israel could defend itself in the event of a complete ceasefire, pointing out that this remains unclear. However, she emphasized the necessity of reaching humanitarian truces to deliver aid to Gaza and protect lives.
Baerbock's tour in the region included visits to the UAE and Saudi Arabia. She also met with Palestinian officials in Ramallah, the headquarters of the Palestinian Authority. On Saturday, Saudi Arabia and other Islamic nations called for an immediate halt to military operations in Gaza and rejected Israel's justification for its actions against the Palestinians as self-defense.
