Germany's Scholz urges ceasefire ahead of Gaza war anniversary

(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).