Spain’s premier says Israel must ‘clarify’ what happened in ‘brutal attack’ on food charity staff

By Alyssa McMurtry

OVIEDO, Spain (AA) - Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Tuesday “demanded” that the Israeli government “clarify the circumstances surrounding the brutal attack” on World Central Kitchen (WCK) workers in the Gaza Strip.

“They died while doing what the NGO has been doing for years — feeding people in the middle of a devastating situation,” Sanchez told a press conference from a Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan.

Seven aid workers were killed in Monday's bombing, according to the organization led by Spanish chef Jose Andres.

Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares also posted on X that he was “horrified” by the deaths.

The WCK, one of the main suppliers of food to Gaza, has announced it will suspend operations.

“It is urgent for Israel to allow humanitarian aid to reach Gaza, just as is stated by several international bodies, including the International Court of Justice (ICJ),” said Sanchez from Jordan, underlining that ICJ rulings must be complied with.

He also called for an immediate and permanent cease-fire and the release of all hostages.

“These steps are needed to pave the way for a political process that will lead to a definitive end to this conflict and a real materialization of the two-state solution,” he said.

Late Monday night, Sanchez informally told journalists that Spain plans to recognize the Palestinian state before summer, according to El Pais and other Spanish media outlets.

Sanchez is on a Middle East tour to “understand firsthand the points of view of some of the main actors seeking a solution to this war and to emphasize Spain’s commitment and willingness to work with them to achieve a peaceful and just future,” he said.

Later in the day, he will meet Jordanian King Abdullah II, and then will travel to Jeddah to meet Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Sanchez also spoke about how the conflict has affected multiple generations of Palestinians, something he called “almost unprecedented in history.”

He emphasized the importance of the UN, called on the international community to support UNRWA and discussed how Spain has boosted aid to the organization significantly in recent months.

“Spain will do everything in its hands to help mitigate the terrible consequences of this war, and work together with Arab partners, especially Jordan … which is why we’ve worked with them on aid missions,” he said.