Madrid Summit Urges End to Gaza Military Operations

International pressure on Israel is mounting as European and Arab nations, meeting in Madrid, called for an arms embargo, sanctions, and an immediate end to Israel’s military operations in Gaza amid a worsening humanitarian crisis. Spain’s foreign minister, backed by France, Germany, the UK, and Brazil, stressed the urgent need for unrestricted humanitarian aid and warned that silence in the face of atrocities amounts to complicity. The summit endorsed the two-state solution and considered targeted sanctions against those obstructing its progress. Israeli expats held protests across Europe demanding weapons embargoes and trade suspensions, while Sweden condemned Israel’s aid blockade as indefensible. UK legal experts urged their government to impose sanctions and consider suspending Israel from the UN, citing concerns over war crimes and potential genocide. Despite some aid deliveries, UN officials and humanitarian agencies report that assistance remains vastly insufficient for Gaza’s 2.2 million residents.