Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday discussed regional developments and events on the Israel-Gaza border with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Merkel expressed concern over the violence in Gaza, but said, "Germany understands Israel's security needs."
Her office said the right to peaceful protest and assembly in Gaza should not be abused to provoke unrest.
German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said "the awful events" on the Gaza-Israel border were of extreme concern to Germany but Israel had the right to defend itself.
"It is horrifying that so many people, among them minors, have lost their lives," Seibert said.
"Everyone has the right to protest in a nonviolent manner, but it's clear that this right can't be exploited to foment violence. Hamas is using the demonstrations to cause an escalation. This is cynical. The Israeli government has the right and duty to defend its citizens and its border."
Seibert also said Israel must use proportionate force when it comes to live fire, and called on all sides to reduce tensions.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley praised Israel for showing restraint, saying Hamas "has been inciting violence for years, long before the United States decided to move our embassy." The U.S. Embassy was opened in Jerusalem on Monday.
Addressing a U.N. Security Council meeting on the violence, Haley said, "No country in this chamber would act with more restraint than Israel has."
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Wednesday called Hamas' leadership "cannibalistic."
"They treat their children as ammunition," he said, discussing the violent protests with troops near the Gaza border.
"The IDF has conducted itself according to ethical norms we haven't seen anywhere else in the world."
Lieberman also said criticism of the IDF's actions from certain lawmakers, media pundits and others was "a show of hypocrisy."
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Tuesday described the situation in the Middle East as "explosive" and criticized the United States for unilateral acts in the region and Israel for what he said was an unjustified level of violence.
"The situation in the Middle East is explosive, violence is doing the talking, war could loom. We are committed to the security of Israel, but Israel's security cannot justify this level of violence," Le Drian said.
"We have disagreements with the United States [on U.S policy on Iran and on the embassy move]. We [also] have a disagreement about the method. Because in both cases the United States decided to act unilaterally."
Netanyahu told Merkel that Trump's withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal has created an opportunity to restrain Iranian belligerence and prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Merkel told Netanyahu that Germany feels bound by the nuclear deal with Iran, as long as Iran upholds its side.
She said Germany is also concerned about Iran's ballistic missile program and its destabilizing role in the region, and she condemned recent Iranian attacks against Israeli positions on the Golan Heights.
Earlier, Netanyahu spoke by phone with French President Emmanuel Macron and told him Israel would protect its security interests and that no other country would accept threats to its sovereignty.
Macron expressed his concerns over the rising violence in Gaza and said nonviolent protesters should be allowed to demonstrate.
