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Chancellor Scholz on his way to Jordan: “It would be important to reach an agreement very quickly about a ceasefire.”
Photo: Kay Nietfeld / dpa
Chancellor Olaf Scholz set off on his Middle East trip on Saturday and will visit Jordan and Israel.
He previously tried again to dissuade the Israeli government from launching a ground offensive against the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.
According to the Reuters news agency, Scholz said before his departure: "It is important that a major human misfortune does not occur as a result of a large-scale offensive in Rafah, where many people who no longer had a safe place elsewhere in Gaza have fled."
The Chancellor was criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who recently approved plans for a ground offensive despite international warnings.
The meeting between Scholz and Netanyahu is scheduled for Sunday.
Scholz contradicts Netanyahu
Scholz also contradicted Netanyahu on Saturday about the future prospects for Palestine: A two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians is necessary.
The national conservative politician has rejected this several times.
Scholz, on the other hand, explained: "It would be important that an agreement is reached very quickly about a ceasefire." It should make it possible for the Israeli hostages in the hands of Hamas to be released and for "humanitarian aid to come to Gaza at the same time."
The Israeli army invaded the Gaza Strip after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
In recent weeks, Western governments have repeatedly warned that Israel must take full responsibility for caring for the approximately two million civilians there.
According to the UN, at least 576,000 people - a quarter of Gaza's population - are at risk of starvation.
lhi/Reuters/AFP