German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reacts during his summer press conference in Berlin, Germany on July 18, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Sunday defended his decision to halt arms exports to Israel, stating that the move reflects a disagreement with the Israeli government.

In an interview with the public broadcaster ARD, Merz said the decision followed weeks of discussions and was prompted by the Israeli security cabinet's move to escalate the military conflict in the Gaza Strip.

He voiced concerns about the planned evacuation of Gaza City, stressing that Germany cannot supply weapons in a conflict that now set to be resolved solely via military means, a course that could result in hundreds of thousands of civilian casualties.

Merz has more than once expressed deep concern over Israel's military operations in Gaza. On Friday evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Merz his disappointment with Germany's decision to suspend all exports of military equipment to Israel, accusing Berlin of "rewarding Hamas terrorism by embargoing arms to Israel."

While standing by the temporary arms embargo, the German chancellor underscored that Germany's fundamental Israel policy remains unchanged, emphasizing that Germany "stands without a doubt by the side" of Israel.