The European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) and its Palestinian partner organisations are supporting a Palestinian from Gaza in an urgent application to the German Federal Constitutional Court. The application aims to ensure that no further tank transmissions are delivered as long as the Federal Constitutional Court has not yet ruled on the constitutional complaint filed in October 2025—and before the transmissions are used against the civilian population in Gaza.
No safety despite the so-called ceasefire
The complainant lives with his family in a tent in the south of the Gaza Strip, under extremely precarious conditions and in constant danger to their lives. The so-called “ceasefire” offers no protection. Israeli forces continually violate it through fire from the air and from the ground. The use of tanks has also been documented; some of these are equipped with German transmission technology. Places where the tents of internally displaced people are located are regularly attacked.
“We do not feel safe at all. We expect an Israeli airstrike to hit us at any time,” the complainant describes in a current sworn statement. “A few days ago, a tent camp only about 150 metres north of us was bombed. Several people were killed.”
Despite persisting attacks, the German government has already lifted export-licensing halt imposed in August 2025. New export licences can be issued at any time. As long as the danger to the civilian population persists, such weapons deliveries must be fully suspended.
Second-largest arms supplier to Israel
As Israel’s second-largest arms supplier, Germany bears concrete responsibility. German tank transmissions manufactured by the company Renk are a key component of the Merkava and Namer armoured vehicles deployed in Gaza. Without them, the ground war in this form would not be possible. Such vehicles are used in large numbers in densely populated areas, including near tent camps, food distribution points, and other civilian infrastructure.
UN bodies, the International Criminal Court, and numerous human rights organisations have been documenting the gravest violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza for over two years. These include war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Nevertheless, the German government continued to authorise arms exports, despite clear indications that they were being used in breach of international law to the detriment of the civilian population.
Germany’s exports increase the risks for civilians
Dr Alexander Schwarz, Co-Head of the International Crimes and Accountability programme at ECCHR, says:
“The deadly consequences of German arms exports must no longer be ignored. The German government bears shared responsibility for the ongoing violations of international law in Gaza. When Germany authorises tank transmissions, it contributes to a form of warfare in which war crimes are systematically committed. This is not compatible with Germany’s constitutional obligation to protect fundamental rights.”
International law applies universally—also to Israel
Germany is violating its obligations under international law and constitutional law by continuing to supply military goods even though serious violations of international humanitarian law have been documented for months. International law applies universally—also to Israel and to the war in Gaza. While the German government publicly calls for compliance with these norms, it simultaneously enables their violation through its arms exports. Anyone who, in practice, exempts Israel from the general rules of international law leaves the Palestinian civilian population effectively defenceless: without effective legal protection and exposed to military violence.
Such a policy contradicts Germany’s constitutional duty to protect, which also applies vis-à-vis people outside its own territory. Arms exports that foreseeably contribute to internationally unlawful attacks against civilians are themselves unlawful. As long as the danger to the civilian population in Gaza persists, arms exports must be fully suspended.
Time pressure: urgent application necessary
With this urgent application, ECCHR is urging a swift judicial decision before further tank transmissions are delivered to Israel. A decision by the Federal Constitutional Court could prevent tanks with German technology from continuing to be used against the civilian population in Gaza. The complainant already applied for interim legal protection before the Frankfurt Administrative Court in October 2024. Both this application and his appeal to the Hessian Higher Administrative Court in Kassel were dismissed.
The complainant is represented by Geulen & Klinger Rechtsanwälte. In these proceedings, ECCHR is working together with its Palestinian partner organisations, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights and Al-Haq.
