Israel's war on Gaza fuels rise in far-right terror arrests in Germany

Gaza’s ongoing conflict has coincided with a surge in far-right violence in Germany, where authorities arrested five teenage boys on Wednesday for allegedly forming a far-right terrorist group. Charges include attempted murder and serious arson.

The youths are suspected of carrying out arson attacks on a community centre and a refugee shelter, aiming to ignite chaos and undermine Germany’s democratic system. Federal prosecutors said the group called itself the “last wave of defence” to protect the “German nation” and planned violent acts mainly targeting migrants and political opponents.

Two of those detained are accused of setting fire to a cultural centre in Brandenburg last October. Others previously arrested allegedly attacked a migrant shelter in Saxony earlier this year.

Over 220 police officers took part in the arrests and searches across five states amid rising politically motivated crimes in Germany. The interior ministry reported a 40 percent spike in such offences last year, largely driven by far-right extremism.

Experts link this escalation to increasing political polarisation, tightly contested elections, and Israel's war on Gaza.