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BRUSSELS — Spain’s acting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Wednesday called for a “halt and humanitarian cease-fire” in the Israel-Hamas war to allow for the “urgent introduction of humanitarian aid in Gaza in a manner that is systematic, permanent, and proportionate to the extraordinary needs of the Palestinian people.”
Spain’s call for a cease-fire comes amid intense debate among EU countries ahead of a summit on Thursday about whether to call for a “humanitarian pause” or “humanitarian pauses” in the conflict to allow aid into Gaza. While Sánchez’s language is unusually direct, countries such as Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic are still reticent about agreeing to anything that resembles a cease-fire call for fear it would be seen as impinging on Israel’s right to fight Islamist militants from Hamas.
While diplomats said Germany could accept the idea of a pause, Berlin’s chief government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit said: “In the current situation, it would not be fair to pretend that peace or a cease-fire is needed. In this respect, I imagine it will be difficult for the EU tomorrow and the day after tomorrow.”
The EU has no direct military involvement but it does have some regional sway through relief efforts, with the European Commission saying the EU is the biggest donor of aid to the Palestinians. French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday France was sending a navy ship to “support” hospitals in the Gaza Strip.
Sánchez noted that his government had firmly condemned Hamas’ attacks in Israel and defended the country’s right to legitimate defense, adding that Madrid had taken note also of the deaths of thousands of Palestinian civilians during the past two weeks.
He also reaffirmed his country’s support for United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, whose resignation Israel is demanding.
“I want to convey all the affection and support of the Spanish Government, and of the majority of Spanish society, for our Secretary General of the United Nations, Portugal’s António Guterres, who I believe is voicing the concerns of most of the world’s population by calling for a humanitarian pause, the arrival of humanitarian aid and an end to this humanitarian disaster, an end to the indiscriminate deaths, and the forging of a diplomatic solution to this grave crisis,” he said.
U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday called for “specific pauses” in the conflict between Israel and Hamas to allow for humanitarian aid to reach Gaza, but distinguished that from broader demands for a cease-fire.
Hans von der Burchard contributed reporting.
