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full screen Smoke rises over Gaza, seen from southern Israel, on Thursday. Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg/AP/TT
Germany rejects Amnesty International’s accusations that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
– The question of genocide presupposes a clear intention to exterminate an ethnic group. I still cannot see any such clear intention and therefore cannot share the report’s conclusions, says Sebastian Fischer, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
– We take the allegations in the report very seriously and are currently analyzing them.
Fischer points out that Germany has repeatedly called on the Israeli government to adjust its military efforts in Gaza to better protect civilians.
– But it is still our opinion that Israel is acting in defense against Hamas, which triggered this conflict with its terrorist attacks.
Amnesty International’s report was published on Thursday. According to the organization, its conclusions have been drawn from extensive amounts of information, such as interviews, satellite images, reports and statements from Israeli officials.
Israel has rejected Amnesty’s conclusions as “completely false”.