German Chancellor Friedrich Merz of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) hosted King Abdullah II bin al-Hussein of Jordan in Berlin for discussions focused on humanitarian aid for the population of the Gaza Strip.
While acknowledging the ongoing coordination with Jordan regarding air drops of essential supplies, Merz emphasized the urgent need to increase aid delivery via land routes. “What assistance is provided by air is, realistically, a very small contribution to what is necessary via land” he stated at a subsequent press conference. He urged Israel to swiftly and decisively improve the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, ensuring that the suffering civilian population receives dignified and essential provisions. Merz welcomed initial steps taken by the Israeli government and Prime Minister Netanyahu, but stressed the need for further action.
The Chancellor refrained from detailing specific measures intended to increase pressure on the Israeli government, stating that further consultations and potential decisions remain an option. He announced plans to request the foreign ministers of France, Great Britain and Germany to jointly travel to Israel next Thursday to convey the positions and perspectives of their respective governments.
King Abdullah II bin al-Hussein expressed gratitude to Germany for its humanitarian efforts in Gaza and reiterated the necessity of a ceasefire. He highlighted Jordan’s significant contribution to humanitarian aid drops-the third largest since World War II, despite the nation’s limited size-and conceded that this method may not be the most efficient. He suggested this action serves to exert pressure on Israel to also address the suffering experienced in the West Bank.
