Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has described the situation in Palestine's Gaza as a "genocide", marking the strongest language yet from a European leader over Israel's mass slaughter campaign in the besieged territory.
"Gaza is in a catastrophic situation of genocide," Sanchez said ahead of an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday.
He called on the European Union to immediately suspend its association agreement with Israel, citing a report that said there were indications Israel was breaching its human rights obligations.
Sanchez's comments came as rescuers said at least 76 people had been killed by Israeli forces, amid continuing attacks and extreme shortages of food and medicine.
Continuous support for Palestine
Sanchez has been among the most vocal critics of Israel's genocide, but this is the first time he has explicitly used the term.
The Israeli embassy in Madrid condemned the remarks, accusing Sanchez of "demonising" Israel and placing Spain "on the wrong side of history."
The Spanish government summoned the Israeli charge d’affaires in response, calling the reaction "unacceptable."
Last May, Spain formally recognised Palestine as an independent state, alongside Ireland and Norway — a move Sanchez described as "historic" and consistent with international law.
He said the step aimed to support peace, not target any party, and reaffirmed Spain’s commitment to a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders.
Aid workers report dozens killed
Gaza's civil defence agency meanwhile said Israeli forces had killed at least 76 people on Thursday alone.
Mohammad al Mughair, the director of medical supplies in the agency, said the toll came amid increasing Israeli violence around aid distribution points.
More than 56,000 Palestinians — mostly civilians — have been killed in Gaza since October, according to health officials in the territory.
The UN recognises the health ministry’s figures as credible.
Some 11,000 Palestinians are feared buried under rubble of annihilated homes, according to Palestine's official WAFA news agency.
Experts, however, contend that the actual death toll significantly exceeds what the Gaza authorities have reported, estimating it could be around 200,000.
Gaza's population of over two million faces widespread hunger after nearly nine months of attacks and blockades by Israel.
While Israel began allowing limited aid into the territory in late May, the UN and rights groups say food and medicine remain scarce and distribution is chaotic, with frequent reports of Israeli forces firing on civilians gathering for rations.
Gaza's Health Ministry says Israel has killed nearly 550 people near aid distribution points since late May.
