Germany will lift an order suspending some weapons sales to Israel beginning next week, following the Gaza ceasefire agreement reached last month, a German government spokesperson announced Monday, adding that the decision was contingent on the maintenance of the truce.
“The government will, as a general rule, revert to case-by-case reviews in decisions on arms exports and respond to further developments,” the spokesperson, Sebastian Hille, said in the announcement.
The ceasefire “is the basis for this decision, and we expect everyone to abide by the agreements that have been made,” he said, adding that it “includes maintaining the ceasefire.”
“It also means that humanitarian aid is provided on a large scale and that the process continues in an orderly manner, as agreed,” Hille said.
The spokesperson added that Germany remains committed to supporting a lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians based on a two-state solution and will continue to engage in supporting reconstruction in Gaza.
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According to the spokesperson, the decision will take effect on November 24.
I welcome Chancellor Merz’s move to revoke the decision regarding the partial “embargo”.
I call on other governments to adopt similar decisions, following Germany
— Gideon Sa’ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) November 17, 2025
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar celebrated the decision in a post on X, urging other countries to take similar measures: “I welcome Chancellor Merz’s move to revoke the decision regarding the partial ’embargo’. I call on other governments to adopt similar decisions, following Germany.”
Berlin suspended some arms trade with Israel in August over the Israeli cabinet’s decision to conquer Gaza City in its war against Hamas in Gaza. Germany is the second-largest arms exporter to Israel, after the United States, and Israel’s main backer in the EU.
At the time, Merz said “the German government will not approve any exports of military equipment that could be used in the Gaza Strip until further notice.”
He argued that the decision to move on Gaza City “makes it increasingly difficult” to see how the goals of reaching a hostage deal and disarming Hamas would be achieved.
A woman holds a sign as German and Israeli activists block the entrance to the German embassy in Tel Aviv during a protest calling on Germany to stop arming Israel, on June 7, 2024. (JACK GUEZ / AFP)
After the decision in August, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Germany was “rewarding Hamas terrorism.”
Now, ahead of Germany’s announcement to resume arms trade, Merz and Netanyahu spoke on the phone Sunday about “diplomatic and regional matters,” in what the premier’s office described as a “good and friendly conversation.”
Germany’s steadfast and long-standing support for Israel following the Holocaust has been badly strained by Gaza’s mounting death toll and humanitarian crisis, which prompted demands from the German public for government action.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Germany provided 30 percent of Israel’s major arms imports in 2019-2023, primarily naval equipment, including Sa’ar 6-class frigates (MEKO A-100 Light Frigates), which have been used in the Gaza war.
Other countries that have suspended arms trade or implemented embargoes on Israel during the war in Gaza include Spain, which enshrined a “total embargo” in law last month, as well as more limited moves from Italy, Canada and the Netherlands and Belgium. The UK also decided last year to suspend dozens of arms export licenses with Israel, though it insisted the move was not an embargo.
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