Lawyers seeking to halt Germany's 150 tons of explosives to 'Israel'
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Amnesty International reported that Namibian officials blocked the vessel from entering its main harbor after it departed from Vietnam’s Hai Phong port in August.
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Fire and smoke rises in Gaza City after an Israeli airstrike. (AP)
Human rights lawyers have urgently appealed to Berlin's Administrative Court to stop a 150-ton shipment of military-grade explosives destined for "Israel" on the German cargo ship MV Kathrin.
The European Legal Support Center (ELSC) announced on Wednesday that the appeal was made on behalf of three Palestinians from Gaza. They argue that the shipment, which consists mainly of RDX explosives, could be used in munitions for "Israel’s" military operations in Gaza, potentially contributing to alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Amnesty International reported that Namibian officials blocked the vessel from entering its main harbor after it departed from Vietnam’s Hai Phong port in August.
According to the ELSC, the RDX is designed for Israeli Military Industries, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems (ESLT.TA), "Israel's" largest weapons contractor.
The MV Kathrin, owned by Germany's Lubeca-Marine, had been denied entry into several African and Mediterranean ports, including Angola, Slovenia, Montenegro, and Malta, according to the ELSC, with Portuguese authorities recently requiring the ship to switch to a German flag before continuing.
Israeli massacres in Gaza ongoing
This comes as the IOF committed a new massacre in northern Gaza on Tuesday evening, targeting a residential area in Beit Lahia, which resulted in 16 martyrs, including children, with others still missing beneath the rubble.
The spokesperson for Gaza's Civil Defense, Mahmoud Basal, said that there have been urgent calls for Civil Defense teams to head to the massacre's location. However, he reiterated that there are no longer Civil Defense or medical services in northern Gaza.
Additionally, the Israeli occupation forces destroyed homes around the al-Fakhoura School, west of Jabalia Camp in northern Gaza, Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported.
The Israeli bombardment extended to other areas of the Strip, where two more Palestinians were killed and others were injured in artillery shelling on the Safatwi area, northwest of Gaza City, our correspondent pointed out.
Moreover, according to Al Mayadeen's correspondent, Israeli warships opened fire at the beach opposite Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
Germany approved over $100mln in arms exports to 'Israel' since August
Data revealed by the German Foreign Ministry on Thursday indicates that Germany has approved over $100 million in military exports to "Israel" over the past three months, marking a significant increase following a drop in arms exports earlier this year.
The arms exports, valued at approximately €94 million ($101.61 million), have drawn scrutiny after the information was released in response to a parliamentary inquiry by Left Party MP Sevim Dagdelen.
Was für ein Zynismus, was für eine Heuchelei! Während die #Bundesregierung der Bevölkerung in Deutschland und im Nahen Osten Sand in die Augen streut mit stetem Verweis auf humanitäre Hilfe, werden die völkerrechtswidrigen Angriffe auf die UN-Friedenstruppen und die… pic.twitter.com/J20HLjqoWn
— Sevim Dağdelen, MdB (@SevimDagdelen) October 24, 2024
This news comes as the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) announced it has filed an appeal with the Frankfurt Administrative Court on behalf of a Gaza resident.
The appeal aims to halt further German arms exports to "Israel", arguing that they contribute to civilian harm in Gaza.
The plaintiff, a Palestinian resident of Gaza, lost his wife and daughter in Israeli airstrikes and argues that Germany’s continued weapons shipments could further endanger civilians in the region.
