Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has sharply escalated his criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza, accusing the government of Benjamin Netanyahu of committing the “extermination of a defenseless people” through the bombing of hospitals and the “starvation of innocent children.”
Speaking on Monday while unveiling a package of new measures aimed at increasing pressure on Netanyahu to halt Israel’s military offensive, Sánchez stressed that while Spain will always support Israel’s right to exist and to defend itself, his government feels a moral obligation to act “to stop a massacre.”
“Defending your country is one thing, but bombing hospitals and killing innocent children through starvation is something completely different,” Sánchez declared.
The Spanish leader argued that what Netanyahu originally presented in October 2023 as a counter-terrorism operation against Hamas has turned into “a new wave of illegal occupations and an unjustifiable assault on the Palestinian civilian population – an assault already described as genocide by the UN Special Rapporteur and most international experts.”
Sánchez cited shocking figures of the dead, wounded, displaced, and starving in Gaza, concluding:
“This is not self-defense; nor is it merely an attack. It is the extermination of a defenseless people. It is a violation of every principle of humanitarian law.”
The prime minister also condemned the international community, saying major global powers remain “paralyzed between indifference to an endless conflict and complicity with Netanyahu’s government.”
Spain’s Announced Measures Against Israel:
- A law formalizing the existing de facto ban on arms trade with Israel.
- Prohibition of Spanish ports and airspace for transporting fuel or weapons to the Israeli military.
- Entry ban into Spain for individuals deemed directly involved in “genocide.”
- A significant increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Sánchez acknowledged the limitations of these steps:
“We know these measures will not be enough to stop the occupation or war crimes, but we hope they will increase pressure on the Israeli government and show the Spanish people that Spain stood on the right side of history.”
