The Federal Government is relieved about the handing over of hostages
All hostages from the Gaza Strip were released. Federal Chancellor Merz will be attending the Gaza peace summit in Egypt, Foreign Minister Wadephul is visibly moved.
Berlin (dpa) – The German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul describes the release of hostages held by the Islamist organisation Hamas as “deeply moving”. “It is a moment of joy, but also of unease, as we obviously know that some will only be returning as corpses,” Wadephul said. “This is deeply moving, as there are several German citizens among those released.”
When asked, whether he believed that actual peace could be achieved in the region within the next few days or weeks, Wadephul stated: “I do believe in it, because I have observed that both sides have understood that no solution can be achieved using military methods that include fighting, violence, killing and imprisonment.”
Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz has left Berlin for Egypt, where he will attend a Gaza peace summit together with about 20 other heads of state and government.
The Federal Chancellor is expected to arrive in the seaside resort Sharm El Sheikh in the early afternoon, where a declaration on US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for a ceasefire is to be signed, after two years of war in Gaza.
Germany has pledged its support for implementing the peace plan and significant involvement in reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.