Berlin approves €800m in arms exports to Israel amid Gaza crisis

Germany approved about €800 million ($930 million) in arms exports to Israel in the first half of 2026, more than quadrupling the 2025 total, after Chancellor Merz lifted some export restrictions in late 2025. Most licenses cover naval projects (including the INS Drakon submarine) and German-Israeli joint programs, with smaller shares for small arms, ammunition and drones. Gaza’s death toll exceeds 73,000 as critics accuse Berlin of double standards and call for a halt to arms exports.