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

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called on Saturday for pressure to stop Israel's "massacre in Gaza" and said Madrid plans a UN resolution requesting a world court ruling on aid access to the Palestinian territory.

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".

Message at Eurovision

Spain's public broadcaster defied the organisers of the Eurovision song contest on Saturday, airing a message in support of Palestinians ahead of its coverage of the event despite being warned to avoid references to the Gaza offensive or risk sanctions.

"With regard to human rights, silence is not an option. Peace and justice for Palestine," the radio and television group RTVE wrote in white on a black background, seconds before the official start of the song contest.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) had warned RTVE not to make references to the Gaza war during Saturday night's broadcast or face punitive fines.

"Political statements that could compromise the neutrality of the contest are prohibited," the EBU said in the letter, noting it was "fundamental" that commentators "respect these rules without exception" in all countries broadcasting the contest.