Palestinians must return to live in Gaza, top Spanish diplomat tells Anadolu

By Burak Bir

MUNICH (AA) - The Spanish foreign minister stressed Friday that Gazans must go back and live in the Gaza Strip, pledging his country will do everything possible to help with the reconstruction of the coastal enclave.

"We really want this ceasefire to become permanent, and I am really happy to see that the release of hostages has (been) reinstated again," Jose Manuel Albares told Anadolu on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in the southeastern German city.

Albares noted that a permanent ceasefire is in everyone's best interests, including Israeli security.

"Of course, the Palestinians of Gaza must go back and live in Gaza," noted Albares, referring to recent US administration statements.

One of US President Donald Trump's most contentious foreign policy announcements is his plan to "take over" Gaza, which includes forcibly relocating Palestinian residents to other countries, a plan that critics argue amounts to ethnic cleansing.

He went on to say that Spain is doing and will do as much as it can for the reconstruction of Gaza so the people of Gaza recover from trauma and resume their normal lives.

Spain is doing and will do everything it can to help rebuild Gaza so that the people of Gaza may resume their normal lives.

"And also for the coexistence of two states, the Palestinian state and the Israeli state that must guarantee security and prosperity for both of them," he added.

The death toll from Israel’s genocidal onslaught since October 2023 has risen to 48,222, the Palestinian Health Ministry said Wednesday.

A ceasefire agreement has been in place in Gaza since Jan. 19, halting the Israeli war that has caused widespread destruction and left the Palestinian enclave in ruins.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.