BERLIN, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- German Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Wednesday welcomed Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's proposals to end the fighting in the Gaza Strip, as well as the Israeli government's announcement that it will establish a humanitarian corridor.

    "I welcome the initiative proposed by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to bring the military action in the Gaza Strip to an end. On the basis of these proposals, we must now find a route out of the violence as quickly as possible," Steinmeier said in a written statement.

    "The goal must be a permanent ceasefire, which guarantees security for Israelis and Palestinians," he added.

    The minister also said he welcomed the Israeli announcement that they would open up a humanitarian corridor for aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip.

    "The swift implementation of this measure is an important step that is required to enable the relief supplies urgently needed by the suffering people of Gaza to get through," he said.

    Earlier on Tuesday, Steinmeier spoke to Jakob Kellenberger, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and got firsthand information about the work of the ICRC in Gaza.

    The German Federal Government was to make available two million euros (around 2.7 million U.S. dollars) to the ICRC for its work in Gaza.

    The German federal foreign office has already provided more than 11 million euros (around 15 million dollars) for the Palestinians in 2009.