Spain PM calls for 'pressure on Israel to halt the massacre in Gaza'

Sanchez told an Arab League summit in Baghdad that the war triggered by Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel has led to "unacceptable numbers" of victims in Gaza, violating the "principle of humanity".

"The extremely grave humanitarian crisis Gaza has endured since October 2023 has caused more than 50,000 dead, 100,000 wounded and two million displaced," said Sanchez, who has sharply criticised the Israeli offensive.

World leaders should "intensify our pressure on Israel to halt the massacre in Gaza, particularly through the channels afforded to us by international law", he said.

The Socialist prime minister said Spain will "submit to the United Nations General Assembly a proposal to ask the International Court of Justice to rule on Israel's compliance with its international obligations on humanitarian aid access to Gaza", under a complete aid blockade since March 2.

Sanchez said Spain would also back another draft UN resolution calling on Israel to "end the humanitarian blockade" and guarantee "full and unrestricted access for humanitarian aid" to enter Gaza.

On May 7, Sanchez told the Spanish parliament that Madrid would present a draft resolution at the UN General Assembly aimed at "proposing urgent measures to stop the killing of innocent civilians and ensure humanitarian aid" in Gaza.

Speaking in Baghdad on Saturday, he said that promoting "a political solution" to the conflict was a priority.

"The only path towards peace in the region" is "the implementation of the two-state solution" to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he said.

"I wish once again to urge other countries to recognise the State of Palestine."

He expressed hope for progress in an international conference on the two-state solution planned for June in Saudi Arabia, which represents "a historic opportunity".

But Sanchez said that "it will only succeed if there is broad Arab and European consensus that leads to firm action by the entire international community".