The foreign minister of Spain stated that the international community should consider sanctioning Israel to end the conflict in Gaza, ahead of a Madrid meeting with European and Arab nations aimed at calling for a ceasefire in its military actions.
Countries that Israel has traditionally relied upon as allies are increasingly voicing their concerns as international pressure mounts following the expansion of military operations against Hamas in Gaza. This escalation was triggered by Hamas’s attack on Israel in 2023, leading to the ongoing devastating conflict.
A two-month blockade on aid has exacerbated the shortages of essential resources such as food, water, fuel, and medicine in the Palestinian territories, raising fears of potential famine.
Aid organizations have reported that the limited supplies permitted by Israel to enter in recent days are grossly inadequate to meet the needs.
He emphasized that humanitarian aid must flow into Gaza “in a massive, unimpeded, and neutral manner, ensuring that it is not Israel that decides who receives aid and who does not.”
A similar gathering in Madrid last year included countries like Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, alongside European nations such as Ireland and Norway, which have acknowledged the existence of a Palestinian state.
The current meeting, which also features representatives from the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, aims to advocate for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Following the European Union’s decision this week to reassess its cooperation agreement with Israel, Albares remarked, “we must contemplate sanctions; we must explore every possible option to halt this war.”
The attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, resulted in the deaths of 1,218 individuals, predominantly civilians, according to an AFP tally derived from official reports.
Additionally, Palestinian militants took 251 hostages, with 57 still in Gaza, including 34 individuals whom the Israeli military reports are deceased.
Israel’s retaliatory campaign has claimed nearly 54,000 lives, mostly among civilians, as indicated by the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.
