Wadephul said after a meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar that he had the impression that “both sides have a strong will to turn this ceasefire into a lasting process and ultimately make peace.” He was therefore convinced “that we can revise the travel advice that affects Israel.” This should make it possible “for more exchange to take place between Israel and Germany again.” There is currently a partial travel warning for Israel.
US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan shows the way to “finally break the cycle of war and destruction,” said Wadephul. “Some important tasks need to be implemented now.” Humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip must be improved. “The international stabilization mission for Gaza requires a clear basis under international law,” emphasized the minister.
A UN mandate is “of utmost importance for those countries that may be willing to send troops to the Gaza Strip and for the Palestinians,” Wadephul had previously said at the IISS Manama Dialogue conference. Germany would also “welcome a clear mandate for this mission.” However, according to a statement from Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU), the Bundeswehr’s participation in a Gaza force is not up for debate.
As part of the ceasefire between the radical Islamic Hamas and Israel, which came into force on October 10th and was largely brokered by the USA, a coalition of mainly Arab and Muslim countries is to station soldiers in the coastal area. The troops are intended to support local security forces.
The idea of an international stabilization force was also met with criticism. UN experts warned that the force could “replace the Israeli occupation with one led by the US”, thereby undermining Palestinian self-determination.
The UN has stationed international peacekeepers in the region for decades, including the Unifil mission in southern Lebanon. This force is currently working with the Lebanese army to enforce the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, which came into force in November 2024.
Trump’s 20-point plan to end the Gaza war includes a gradual withdrawal of the Israeli army from the Gaza Strip and the disarmament of Hamas. However, Hamas strictly rejects their disarmament.
The release of the 20 still alive Hamas hostages as planned in the ceasefire agreement of October 10th has taken place, but the return of the 28 dead hostages, which was also agreed upon, has stalled. So far, Hamas has only handed over 17 dead hostages. According to Israeli information, the remains of three people that Hamas handed over on Friday are not missing hostages.
According to Hamas, the bodies are difficult to find in the rubble of the war-torn coastal strip. Israel therefore accuses Hamas of violating the ceasefire agreement.
Wadephul called on Hamas to “implement its part of the ceasefire agreement, lay down its arms and finally return the remaining bodies.” The minister met in Israel with the family of the killed Hamas hostage Itay Chen. The German-Israeli was kidnapped to the Gaza Strip during Hamas’ major attack on October 7, 2023. His body has not yet been handed over to Israel by Hamas.
“Itay’s absence weighs heavily on his family every single day,” said Wadephul after meeting his parents and brothers. He promised the family “that we will not rest until the body of Itay Chen, who was also German, comes home from Gaza.”
Wadephul had previously visited Jordan, Syria and Lebanon as part of his Middle East trip.
