(ANSA-AFP) - FRANKFURT, 06 OTT - German Chancellor Olaf
Scholz again called for a ceasefire Sunday ahead of the first
anniversary of the war in Gaza, and warned against rising
anti-Semitism in society. "Unfortunately, on this first
anniversary of Hamas's terror attack on Israel, peace or even
reconciliation in the Middle East seem more distant than ever,"
Scholz said in a video message. The German government "continues
to persistently advocate for a ceasefire, which must now finally
come about", he added. "So that the civilian population in the
Gaza Strip can be better protected and, of course, better cared
for. And so that the Israeli hostages can finally be released."
The unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by
Palestinian militants resulted in the deaths of 1,205 people,
mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli
official figures that include hostages killed in captivity.
Israel's retaliatory military offensive has killed at least
41,870 people in Gaza, the majority of them civilians, according
to figures provided by the Hamas-run territory's health ministry
described as reliable by the United Nations. After a devastating
year-long conflict in the coastal Palestinian territory, Israel
has in recent weeks turned its focus northwards to Hezbollah,
Hamas's Iran-backed ally in Lebanon, fuelling fears of an
all-out war in the region.
"We are in close contact with our international partners to
prevent a further escalation of the conflict," Scholz said. He
also warned against rising anti-Jewish sentiment in Germany and
reiterated Berlin's unwavering support for Israel. "It must
never be the case that Jewish citizens here in Germany have to
live in fear and terror," Scholz said. "We will never accept
anti-Semitism and blind hatred of Israel. The Jewish people here
in Germany have the full solidarity of our state," he added.
More than 5,000 anti-Semitic incidents were recorded in Germany
in 2023, half of them after the October 7 attacks, according to
Felix Klein, the government's commissioner for the fight against
anti-Semitism. Rival demonstrations took place in Berlin on
Saturday ahead of the one-year anniversary, with police saying
there were no major incidents. Around 1,800 people joined a
pro-Palestinian demo in the German capital, while some 650
people rallied in solidarity with Israel, Berlin police said.
Larger demonstrations are expected on Sunday. (ANSA-AFP).
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
