Germany is considering restrictions on military exports to Israel over concerns about civilian suffering in Gaza, a notable shift from one of the country’s biggest weapons suppliers.

By Sarah Marsh, Matthias Williams and Thomas EscrittTURKU, Finland/BERLIN (Reuters) -German Chancellor Friedrich Merz delivered his most severe rebuke of Israel to date on Tuesday, criticising massive air strikes on Gaza as no longer justified by the need to fight Hamas and "no longer comprehensible".

In an interview with public broadcaster WDR, foreign minister Johann Wadephul cautioned against the misuse of Germany’s historic commitment to Israel. He cited intensifying aerial bombardments and dire shortages of essential supplies in Gaza as rendering the humanitarian situation “unbearable”.