Germany’s Scholz speaks to Netanyahu, says he will talk to Cairo about mediation

German Chancellor OIaf Scholz stresses the need to avoid a wider “conflagration” in the Middle East after Hamas attacked Israel.

Scholz says he spoke today with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and assured him that Israel’s security is a cornerstone of German policy. He pledges that “we will act accordingly.” He says he plans to speak to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and will support Egypt in efforts to mediate and de-escalate.

Scholz says he also will talk by phone with the leaders of the US, France and the UK to evaluate the situation.

“It is clear that we condemn the actions of Hamas in the strongest terms, but above all we are doing everything so that this attack doesn’t turn into a conflagration with incalculable consequences for the whole region — and we warn everyone in this situation against fueling terrorism,” he adds.