German Chancellor Olaf Scholz declared a stringent measure against organisations supporting Hamas, asserting to lawmakers that Iran bears responsibility for enabling the group to escalate to the extent of carrying out the weekend’s attack on Israel.
“While we have no firm proof that Iran operationally supported this cowardly attack, it is clear to us all that without Iranian support Hamas would never have been able to launch this unprecedented attack,” he said on Thursday.
“Sadly, we can foresee the suffering of the civilian population in the Gaza strip likely growing further – but that too is the fault of Hamas and its attack on Israel,” he added.
Within Germany, he stated that the country would prohibit all fundraising and support efforts for Hamas and would also enact a ban on Samidoun, an international activist organization that claims to support Palestinian prisoners in Israeli detention but is regarded by German authorities as promoting hate speech and advocating for the destruction of Israel.
He emphasized the importance of preventing any additional regional escalation of violence, cautioning Hezbollah, another Iranian-backed militant group based in Lebanon, against the risk of launching an attack on Israel, a neighboring nation.
“I am in close contact with Egypt’s President Sisi, who has channels to Gaza. I will speak with Turkey’s President Erdogan today and receive the Emir of Qatar,” he added. “All three can play an important role in de-escalating the situation.”
