Serbia Suspends Arms Exports to Israel Amid Gaza Genocide Allegations

Belgrade—24 June 2025: Serbia has announced a suspension of all arms exports to Israel, citing mounting international concern over the Israeli military’s continued assault on the Gaza Strip and the deepening humanitarian catastrophe there.

President Aleksandar Vučić announced this on Monday evening, following a high-level meeting with the extended staff of the Chief of the General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces.

“In light of recent developments and out of respect for international humanitarian principles, Serbia has decided to halt arms exports to the Israeli regime,” Vučić said in a statement.

The move follows rising public pressure within Serbia, including a mass student-led demonstration in Belgrade on Sunday organized by the group “Support for the People of Palestine—Serbia.” Protesters had called on the government to stop the flow of weapons to Israel, accusing it of complicity in what they described as a genocide in Gaza.

The announcement came just hours after fresh Israeli airstrikes killed at least 24 Palestinians and injured dozens more across multiple areas of Gaza early Tuesday, according to Palestinian health authorities.

In one of the deadliest attacks, Israeli warplanes targeted a crowd of civilians waiting for food aid on Salah al-Din Street near Wadi Gaza. The al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat reported receiving 19 bodies and 146 wounded, with 62 of the injured in critical condition.

Separately, civil defense teams recovered five bodies from a bombed home in Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood. The victims were taken to al-Shifa Medical Complex, already overwhelmed by the surge in casualties.

Since the war began on October 7, 2023, more than 56,000 Palestinians—mostly women and children—have been killed in Israel’s relentless military campaign in Gaza, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

Israel is currently facing growing legal scrutiny. In November 2024, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, charging them with war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza.

Additionally, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is hearing a genocide case against Israel, brought forth by multiple states and human rights groups.

Serbia’s decision positions it among a small but growing list of countries re-evaluating military or economic ties with Israel in response to global outcry over the Gaza conflict.

While Vučić did not specify whether the suspension is indefinite, his government’s statement stressed that Serbia cannot ignore the grave humanitarian consequences of the ongoing war.

“Serbia reaffirms its commitment to peace, international law, and human dignity,” the statement added.