Germany offers Israel military aid, vows to crack down on Hamas support

German officials said they have offered military aid to Israel in the wake of attacks launched by militant group Hamas, vowing to crack down on support for the militant group in their own country. 

Germany’s Ministry of Defense said Thursday that it has agreed to Israel’s request to use two of its five Heron TP combat drones, according to The Associated Press. The military equipment was already in Israel, as German soldiers train there.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius noted that Israel also requested ammunition for warships. 

Speaking to parliament, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that he asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to let Germany know about any needs, the AP reported. 

“At this moment, there is only one place for Germany — the place at Israel’s side,” Scholz told the parliament. “Our own history, our responsibility arising from the Holocaust, makes it a perpetual task for us to stand up for the security of the state of Israel.”

Scholz also said that he plans to issue a formal ban on activity by or in support of Hamas and similar groups in the country. He referred to an incident this past weekend in which a small group handed out pastries in celebration of Hamas’s attack.

Scholz’s remarks come as he and other Western leaders issued a joint statement Monday in support of Israel. 

“Over the coming days, we will remain united and coordinated, together as allies, and as common friends of Israel, to ensure Israel is able to defend itself, and to ultimately set the conditions for a peaceful and integrated Middle East region,” leaders of Germany, France, Italy, the U.K. and U.S. said in a the statement.

Hamas, a militant group that is the de facto authority in Gaza, launched its deadly attack against Israel on Saturday, which resulted in the deaths of more than 1,200 Israelis and more than 3,000 others suffering injuries. 

Israeli armed forces have launched a counteroffensive against the group, with Netanyahu saying that his country’s forces will exact a “huge price” from Hamas for the attack. 

The Associated Press contributed.