The military leadership has said it prefers a new cease-fire instead of renewed fighting, and the military’s chief of staff previously raised concerns about troop exhaustion.

BERLIN (AP) — Germany won’t authorize any exports of military equipment to Israel that could be used in Gaza “until further notice,” Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Friday, in a strikingly quick response by one of Israel’s strongest international backers to a decision by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet to take over Gaza City.

The wave of condemnation from European leaders, Arab nations and a group representing the families of hostages illustrated a widening gulf between Netanyahu’s government and much of the world as Israel’s 22-month war against Hamas intensifies and the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip worsens.