Sánchez demands that Israel clarify the "brutal" bombing that killed seven collaborators of José Andrés' NGO

From Jordan, he reiterates Spain's support for UNRWA and says that its work in the region is "irreplaceable"

The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, demanded this Tuesday that Israel clarify the circumstances of the "brutal" bombing in Gaza in which seven aid workers from the NGO World Central Kitchen of Spanish chef José Andrés died and has reiterated Spain's support for the United Nations Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Middle East (UNRWA) for its "irreplaceable" work in the region.

Sánchez made these statements from Jordan, the first stop on a tour of the Middle East that will last until Wednesday.

"They have died while doing what this NGO has been dedicated to for years and that is feeding people in the midst of so much devastation," he noted.

"I hope and demand that the Israeli Government clarify as soon as possible the circumstances of this brutal attack that has taken the lives of seven aid workers who were doing nothing other than helping," he said in an institutional statement without questions from the Hussein Camp refugee camp. of UNRWA.

Furthermore, he has called on Israel to "urgently" allow humanitarian aid access to the Strip "as demanded by various international bodies, including the International Court of Justice," he noted.

In this sense, he reminded Israel that the decisions of this body are "binding." He has also once again demanded that Gazans be able to access humanitarian aid "also by land" on a sufficient scale.

Sánchez has also reiterated Spain's support for this United Nations agency - to which it has already allocated almost 24 million euros by 2024 - despite the recent accusations it has received for the alleged participation of members of the organization in the Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel on October 7.

In this sense, he has described as "fundamental and irreplaceable" the work of the United Nations system in the region, which has been working for peace in this area since its birth, as he has highlighted and has requested that the international community maintain "a appropriate" for this agency.

"Spain is willing to lead by example, we have already announced a volume of 23.5 million euros in contributions for the year 2024, which are added to those already made last year when we tripled aid to Palestine," stressed the head of the Spanish Executive.

Along the same lines, he affirms that our country will do everything possible to help mitigate "the terrible consequences of this war" and will work together with its Arab partners: Jordan and also Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the next stops on this tour.

24 MILLION TO UNRWA IN 2024

Sánchez has stressed that in recent weeks the Air Force has collaborated with Jordan in aerial humanitarian aid missions to Gaza in which it has delivered 24 tons of food rations and "logistical support material for other operations", as he indicated.

He once again called for a definitive cessation of hostilities and the urgent release of all hostages, "which is not the first and unfortunately will not be the last," as he added.

"It is urgent that the ceasefire demanded by the United Nations Security Council last week be implemented and which is also binding, but it also has to be permanent. It is the necessary step to open a political process that definitively puts an end to to this conflict," he added.

RECOGNITION OF PALESTINE BEFORE JULY

Regarding the peace process, in the line that he has been maintaining, he has advocated for the two-state solution, which implies the recognition of the Palestinian State "for those of us who have not done so yet," he stated. Sánchez hopes that Spain completes this step before the month of July, a decision that is adopted by the Council of Ministers and that does not need the support of Parliament, according to various media outlets.

This two-state solution, he adds, also requires full recognition of Israel by the international community. "Spain is not going to spare any effort to achieve the objective of achieving peace that allows Israel and Palestine to live side by side, in peace and security," she concluded.