Sánchez unequivocally condemns the "atrocities" of Hamas and the "unbearable number" of civilian deaths in Gaza

The president defends the two-state solution before Netanyahu and Abbas and is committed to the Palestinian Authority controlling the Strip after the conflict

JERUSALEM, Nov. 23 (From the special envoy of EUROPA PRESS, Leyre Guijo) -

The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, has not skimped on qualifiers during this first day of his visit to the Middle East to firmly condemn the "atrocities" committed by Hamas with its attack on October 7 but also to denounce the "unbearable number" of civilians killed in the Gaza Strip by Israeli bombings, arguing that the response to a terrorist attack cannot include the death of "thousands of children."

Israel has the right to defend itself but "the response cannot involve the death of innocent civilians in Gaza, including thousands of children," he told Israeli President Isaac Herzog early this morning, insisting on the need to protect civilians "whatever the cost."

Subsequently, in his meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, he was equally forceful. After denouncing the "humanitarian catastrophe" in Gaza, he made it clear that "the number of Palestinian deaths is truly unbearable." "The terrible suffering of hundreds of thousands of people in Palestine is atrocious," the president added, emphasizing that "military operations must clearly distinguish between terrorist objectives and the protection of the civilian population."

But Sánchez also wanted to make it clear to the Israeli president that he understands the pain of what happened and that he condemns "the absolutely shocking atrocities" of Hamas, including the kidnapping of more than 200 people, in addition to the 1,200 dead. Spain, he reminded him, suffered for "decades from the scourge of terrorism", although without mentioning ETA, that is why "we are in a position to understand the pain and frustration of Israel."

But precisely because of that experience, the President of the Government has told him, he is "convinced that terrorism cannot be eradicated exclusively through the use of force." Likewise, he has insisted that although Israel has the right to defend itself after the Hamas attack, "it must comply with International Law, including International Humanitarian Law."

The Israeli Prime Minister has received Sánchez and the Belgian Prime Minister, Alexander de Croo, with whom he will carry out this two-day tour that will take them to Egypt tomorrow, with a video in which the Israeli Government has compiled the images taken by the own assailants and the victims of the massive attack perpetrated by Hamas on October 7 in which more than 1,200 people died, including two Spaniards, so that they could better understand the magnitude of what they experienced and the pain that these events have caused among Israelis .

Both have been able to see first-hand the magnitude of the attack with the visit they made to Kibbutz Beeri, which is located just 3 kilometers from the Gaza Strip and where 75 deaths have been recorded while another 27 are still missing and it is believed that They would find themselves kidnapped by Hamas. Around a thousand people lived in this kibbutz before the assault and this was precisely where Iván Illarramendi, the Spaniard murdered in a nearby kibbutz, worked as a cook.

Sánchez has acknowledged feeling "overwhelmed" after having been able to verify the consequences of the "absolutely unjustified pain" inflicted by Hamas and that "it only has one goal, which is destruction."

Given this, the president stressed, "logically we have to reject it, condemn it and all unite so that this situation does not occur again" and that "those who have perpetrated this terrorist attack appear before justice and are held accountable for everything they have done." made".

Likewise, the Israeli Government has organized a meeting for both of them with Cochav Elkayam-Levy, an American-Israeli expert in Human Rights who currently heads the civil commission created to collect graphic and forensic evidence of the crimes against women and children, including rape, committed. by Hamas during the attack.

The Israeli Government is especially interested in all world leaders who are visiting the country in recent weeks taking away a clear image of the seriousness of the acts carried out by Hamas so that they can better understand its forceful response, as they worsen. criticism over the number of civilian victims in the Strip.

For this reason, the visit to Israel concluded with a meeting with the relatives of two young people who were at the music festival attacked by Hamas, as well as a couple kidnapped in a kibbutz and another who was kidnapped along with his daughter and his 9 year old grandson.

The other message that Sánchez wanted to make clear in his contacts with both the Israeli and Palestinian sides is that the only way to resolve the conflict is through the materialization of the two-state solution.

"We need to resume a serious and credible perspective of peace," he claimed to Netanyahu, to whom he also presented his proposal for an international peace conference, already endorsed by the EU and the Arab League, among others, emphasizing that "without a political solution, we are once again doomed to endless cycles of violence.

Sánchez has stressed that "today peace means the establishment of a peaceful and viable Palestinian State, which includes the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, in accordance with United Nations resolutions."

To Abbas, at the head of the Palestinian Authority since 2005, he reiterated Spain's commitment to the two-state solution. It should be remembered that during the investiture debate, the President of the Government made it clear that one of his priorities in this legislature will be the recognition of the Palestinian State.

Sánchez wants to take that step, as Congress demanded in 2014, but he does not want it to be a mere declarative gesture, as Moncloa explains. Hence, the president's will is to recognize the Palestinian State in a coordinated manner with other European partners with the aim that this can contribute to the ultimate objective, which is none other than peace in the region. In this sense, Abbas has thanked the President of the Government for his willingness to work for the recognition of Palestine, according to Moncloa.

On the other hand, regarding the debate the day after in Gaza once hostilities cease, Sánchez has supported that the Palestinian Authority be the one to assume control. The Government understands that the Palestinian Authority is the only legitimate interlocutor on the Palestinian side and is committed to reinforcing that role in contrast to the terrorist group Hamas, whose members, Sánchez has precisely defended after visiting one of the kibbutz attacked on October 7, must "To be accountable". In turn, the Palestinian president has already expressed that he would be willing to do so, but with certain prior circumstances.