Spain’s king notes global efforts toward ending Gaza war in talks with Egypt’s Senate speaker

CAIRO – 18 September 2025: Spain’s King Felipe VI praised Egypt's mediation efforts to stop the war in Gaza and allow unhindered humanitarian aid to Gazans, highlighting efforts aimed to unify the international community around putting an end to the war.

King Felipe met on Wednesday with Senate Speaker Abdel Wahab Abdel Razek during the monarch’s visit to Cairo.

During the meeting, Abdel Razek commended Spain's stance in support of the Palestinian cause and its rejection of the Israeli occupation authorities’ brutal attacks on Palestinians in Gaza.

He lauded Spain's support for the Palestinian people's right to establish their state, as well as Madrid's rejection of Israel's illegal displacement policy in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip and its continued violations of international law.

 

Gaza ‘Unspeakable Suffering’

The king leveraged his visit to Egypt, which started on Tuesday, to strongly condemn the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, describing the suffering of its civilians under Israeli bombardment as “unspeakable.”

“The latest episode in this conflict... has degenerated into an unbearable humanitarian crisis, the unspeakable suffering of hundreds of thousands of innocent people and the total devastation of Gaza,” the monarch said, according to the AFP.

He underscored the gravity of the moment, noting that his visit comes “at a turbulent and tragic time for the region.”

Spain has taken a supportive stance toward the Palestinian people since the Israeli war in Gaza started in October 2023, killing nearly 65,000 people to day.

Spain has positioned itself among the most outspoken European critics of Israeli actions in Gaza, and in May 2024, the Spanish government formally recognized the State of Palestine.

The public has also shaped Spain’s political posture with around 100,000 pro-Palestinian protests taking to the streets in Madrid early this week.

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez praised the demonstrators, expressing “deep admiration” for their cause. He also floated the idea of barring Israel from international sporting events “as long as the barbarity continues” in Gaza.

Diplomatic relations between Spain and Israel have sharply deteriorated.

Israel has been without an ambassador in Madrid since 2024 and just last week, Spain recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv following a series of escalating tensions and after Sánchez’s government announced new steps aimed at halting “the genocide in Gaza.”

The AFP contributed to the reporting.