Spanish Foreign Minister Calls for Punitive Measures Against Israel to End Gaza War

In a new step in support of the Palestinian cause, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares called for punitive measures against Israel to end the war in Gaza. This call came following exceptional meetings of European and Arab countries in Spain last Sunday, aimed at pressuring Israel to end military operations in Gaza.

Following the latest expansion of Israeli military operations in Gaza, other countries have added their voices to the growing international pressure to end the war in Palestinian territories. The siege operations that have continued for two months have increased the scarcity of basic resources such as food, water, fuel, and medicine, raising concerns about the spread of famine.

Humanitarian organizations have said that the amount of supplies Israel has allowed to enter in recent days is insufficient to meet the population’s needs.

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares announced in an interview with France Info radio that Spain is hosting 20 countries and international organizations to discuss ways to end the war. He said: “In the short term, to stop this war that no longer makes sense, and to open the way for humanitarian aid to enter massively and without obstacles, in a neutral manner, without Israel having a role in determining who can eat and who cannot, I will say this at the table here in Madrid: we must consider imposing sanctions.”

He emphasized the need to take all measures to stop the war, after the European Union decided to review its cooperation agreement with Israel.

The countries participating in this strategy met in Spain in a previous meeting last year, which included Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, in addition to European countries such as Ireland and Norway, which have recognized the existence of a Palestinian state.

This session, which includes organizations such as the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, aims to support the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The attack launched by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023, resulted in the death of 1,400 people, most of them military personnel. Palestinian militants also took 251 hostages, 57 of whom are still in Gaza, with 34 having died according to the Israeli army.

The subsequent Israeli attack has killed approximately 54,000 people so far, most of them civilians, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza.

About محمد الفاسي