Germany's Merz faces louder calls to act on Gaza humanitarian crisis

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is facing mounting pressure from government partners, aid organizations and prominent public figures to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.

A group of 13 aid organizations, including Oxfam and Doctors without Borders, on Thursday called on the chancellor to host a "humanitarian crisis summit" in Berlin, focused on ways to support the civilian population in the embattled Gaza Strip.

The organizations emphasized that large-scale aid deliveries have long been entirely feasible. "The infrastructure is in place, the aid supplies are available, and we as organizations are ready," the joint letter to Merz states.

"What is lacking is the political will to end the blockade by the Israeli government and finally allow unhindered humanitarian access," the aid groups said.

The groups criticized the recent air drops of aid into Gaza, which Germany is set to participate in, saying these were dangerous and inefficient.

Since March, Israel has only allowed limited aid to enter the war-torn territory. The resulting shortages of food, water and medicine have prompted increasingly dire warnings from humanitarian organizations, which now say Gaza's population is on the brink of famine.

The Social Democratic Party (SPD) - the junior party in Merz's coalition government - is also urging Merz to apply more pressure on the Israeli government to allow aid to reach desperate Palestinians.

The party's deputy parliamentary group leader, Siemtje Möller, told broadcaster ARD on Thursday that there had to be "real pressure" to end the suffering in Gaza.

Möller, who is part of a delegation led by Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul which departed for Israel on Thursday, also reiterated the SPD's position that the delivery of weapons for actions contrary to international law, such as those in the Gaza Strip, should no longer be authorized.

Similar calls are coming from the celebrity community, with more than 200 actors, musicians and media personalities signing an open letter asking Merz to halt arms deliveries to Israel and impose further sanctions over the military's actions in Gaza.

"We too condemn the horrific crimes committed by Hamas in the strongest possible terms. But no crime justifies collectively punishing millions of innocent people in the most brutal manner," the letter states.

Actors Daniel Brühl and Heike Makatsch, and musicians Shirin David and Zartmann are among the famous co-signers of the letter, which was organized by the campaign group Avaaz.

The letter emphasizes the suffering of children in the blockaded Palestinian territory, saying: "More than 17,000 have already been killed. Hundreds of thousands are injured, traumatized, displaced and starving."

The celebrities acknowledge that Merz has stepped up his criticism of the Israeli government in recent days, but urge the conservative leader to take further steps, including stopping all German arms exports to Israel, supporting the suspension of the European Union's Association Agreement with Israel and demanding an immediate ceasefire and unhindered access for humanitarian aid.

"These steps are deeply in line with European values and would make it unmistakably clear to the Israeli government that even its closest allies can no longer accept the suffering, and that words are not enough," the letter reads.