Spain moves to halt “Gaza genocide” with sweeping sanctions on Israel

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has announced a comprehensive package of nine measures aimed at halting what he described as “the genocide in Gaza,” intensifying Madrid’s public condemnation of Israel’s military campaign in the Palestinian enclave.

In a nationally televised address, Sánchez outlined steps intended to exert diplomatic and logistical pressure on Israel while enhancing support for the Palestinian population. The announcement marks a sharp escalation in Spain’s stance on the Gaza conflict, which began in October 2023 following a deadly attack by Hamas on Israeli territory, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The Prime Minister said the measures are designed to “stop the genocide in Gaza, pursue its perpetrators and support the Palestinian population.”

As part of the initiative, the Spanish government will formalize a ban on the sale and purchase of military equipment with Israel, a measure it has already enforced since the onset of the conflict. A new government decree will “consolidate in law” this embargo, Sánchez stated.

In addition, the Prime Minister said that vessels carrying fuel intended for the Israeli military will be prohibited from docking in Spanish ports. He also pledged to curtail the transport of military equipment to Israel by air, signaling a broader effort to reduce Spain’s logistical facilitation of Israeli defense operations.

Sánchez further announced that, “All those people participating directly in the genocide, the violation of human rights and war crimes in the Gaza Strip” would be banned from entering Spanish territory.

Economic measures will also be implemented. Spain will block the importation of products originating from “illegal settlements” in the occupied Palestinian territories, a move Sánchez described as part of a broader effort to stop “the forced displacement of the Palestinian population” and to support a long-term two-state solution.

Consular services for Spanish nationals living in illegal Israeli settlements will be limited “to the legally obligatory minimum assistance,” he added, reflecting a diplomatic downgrade in those areas.

On the humanitarian front, Sánchez announced expanded collaboration with the Palestinian Authority in sectors such as agriculture, food security, and healthcare, as well as additional funding to support humanitarian aid efforts in Gaza.

Sánchez has emerged as one of Europe’s most vocal critics of Israel’s military response to the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people in Israel, mostly civilians. In retaliation, Israel launched a large-scale offensive in Gaza that has so far killed at least 64,368 Palestinians—also predominantly civilians—according to data from the Gaza health ministry, which the United Nations considers credible.

Spain broke ranks with several of its European allies in 2024 by formally recognising a Palestinian state—an act that drew sharp rebuke from Israel and further highlighted the diplomatic rift.

By Vafa Guliyeva