German arms exports to Israel rise tenfold after Tel Aviv's war on Gaza

German defence export approvals to Israel so far this year have risen tenfold from last year, with Berlin treating permit requests as a priority since the Hamas blitz on October 7, a German government source said.

As of November 2, the German government has approved the export of close to $323 million worth of defence equipment to Israel. By comparison, $34 million worth of defence exports were approved in all of 2022.

The majority of individual export permits - 185 out of 218 - were granted after the October 7 attack on Israel.

"Applications for the export of military equipment to Israel are being prioritised and approved by the federal government," said the source.

Even with the increase, Israel accounts for a minor share of Germany's military exports, which totalled $9.36 billion in the first nine months of 2023.

Germany primarily supplies Israel with components for air defence systems and communications equipment, according to the German press agency dpa, which first reported on the figures.