FRANKFURT, Germany: Several German citizens have been killed after the major attack launched by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel earlier this month, the German foreign ministry said Wednesday.
A single-digit number of German nationals are believed to have “fallen victim to Hamas terror,” ministry spokesman Christian Wagner told a regular press briefing, without giving further details.
He added that Berlin would officially confirm the deaths only once relatives had been informed.
The foreign ministry previously said there were eight known cases of German hostages being abducted by Hamas and taken into the Gaza Strip.
Wagner said Wednesday that the cases involved a “low double-digit number of people,” without elaborating.
Scores of foreigners were killed, wounded or taken hostage after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7.
The worst attack in Israel’s 75-year history killed more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians, inside the country, according to Israeli officials.
Israel has responded with bombardments that have killed more than 3,000 people in the Gaza Strip, mostly civilians, according to authorities in the Hamas-controlled territory.
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Several Germans killed by Hamas: Berlin
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Several Germans killed by Hamas: Berlin
- A single-digit number of German nationals are believed to have “fallen victim to Hamas terror,” said ministry spokesman Christian Wagner
- Berlin would officially confirm the deaths only once relatives had been informed
China military drills near Taiwan ‘unnecessarily’ raise tensions: US
WASHINGTON: Chinese war games around Taiwan “unnecessarily” spiked tensions in the region, the US State Department said Thursday, calling on Beijing to “cease its military pressure.”
“China’s military activities and rhetoric toward Taiwan and others in the region increase tensions unnecessarily. We urge Beijing to exercise restraint, cease its military pressure against Taiwan, and instead engage in meaningful dialogue,” State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement.
Beijing launched missiles and deployed dozens of fighter jets, navy ships and coast guard vessels on Monday and Tuesday to encircle Taiwan, saying the drills simulated a blockade of the self-ruled island’s main ports.
Taipei condemned the exercises as “highly provocative.”
China claims that democratic Taiwan is part of its territory and has refused to rule out using force to annex it.
“The United States supports peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and opposes unilateral changes to the status quo, including by force or coercion,” Pigott said.
China again defended the drills as “legitimate” on Friday, and warned countries to “stop stirring up trouble on the Taiwan Strait issue.”
“We urge relevant countries and institutions to strictly abide by the one-China principle,” a Chinese defense ministry spokesman said in a statement responding to calls for restraint, including from the United States.
US President Donald Trump said Monday he was not concerned about China’s live-fire drills, appearing to brush aside the possibility of counterpart Xi Jinping ordering an invasion.
“I have a great relationship with President Xi. And he hasn’t told me anything about it,” Trump told reporters when asked about the exercises.
“I don’t believe he’s going to be doing it,” Trump said in apparent reference to an invasion.
Beijing’s show of force came after the Trump administration approved an $11 billion arms package for Taiwan.
The United States has been committed for decades to ensuring Taiwan’s self-defense, while staying ambiguous on whether the US military would intervene in an invasion.
China’s latest exercises were the sixth major round of maneuvers since 2022 when a visit to Taiwan by then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi enraged Beijing.
“China’s military activities and rhetoric toward Taiwan and others in the region increase tensions unnecessarily. We urge Beijing to exercise restraint, cease its military pressure against Taiwan, and instead engage in meaningful dialogue,” State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement.
Beijing launched missiles and deployed dozens of fighter jets, navy ships and coast guard vessels on Monday and Tuesday to encircle Taiwan, saying the drills simulated a blockade of the self-ruled island’s main ports.
Taipei condemned the exercises as “highly provocative.”
China claims that democratic Taiwan is part of its territory and has refused to rule out using force to annex it.
“The United States supports peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and opposes unilateral changes to the status quo, including by force or coercion,” Pigott said.
China again defended the drills as “legitimate” on Friday, and warned countries to “stop stirring up trouble on the Taiwan Strait issue.”
“We urge relevant countries and institutions to strictly abide by the one-China principle,” a Chinese defense ministry spokesman said in a statement responding to calls for restraint, including from the United States.
US President Donald Trump said Monday he was not concerned about China’s live-fire drills, appearing to brush aside the possibility of counterpart Xi Jinping ordering an invasion.
“I have a great relationship with President Xi. And he hasn’t told me anything about it,” Trump told reporters when asked about the exercises.
“I don’t believe he’s going to be doing it,” Trump said in apparent reference to an invasion.
Beijing’s show of force came after the Trump administration approved an $11 billion arms package for Taiwan.
The United States has been committed for decades to ensuring Taiwan’s self-defense, while staying ambiguous on whether the US military would intervene in an invasion.
China’s latest exercises were the sixth major round of maneuvers since 2022 when a visit to Taiwan by then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi enraged Beijing.
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