Netanyahu Expels Spain from Gaza Ceasefire Coordination Centre, Citing Diplomatic Hostility

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Spain will no longer take part in the Gaza ceasefire coordination centre, labeling Madrid’s actions as a diplomatic assault on Israel.

In a video posted on X, Netanyahu warned that Israel will not stay silent when faced with what he described as attacks on its legitimacy.

Foreign Minister Gideon Saar echoed the prime minister’s sentiment, condemning Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez for allegedly spreading "blood libels" against the Israeli Defence Forces.

Saar added on X that Spain’s persistent anti‑Israel stance under Sánchez has rendered it incapable of contributing constructively to the U.S. President’s peace initiative and the operations of the coordination centre.

Relations have deteriorated since Israel’s October 2023 offensive in Gaza, after which Spain recognised a Palestinian state and repeatedly criticised Israel’s conduct. Sánchez’s government also opposed the U.S.–Israel campaign against Iran and even closed Spanish airspace to U.S. warplanes involved in that conflict.

The Civil‑Military Coordination Centre (CMCC), a U.S.–led facility created under former President Donald Trump’s 20‑point plan, serves to monitor the declared ceasefire and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the enclave.

Despite the formal ceasefire, Israel continues to conduct near‑daily strikes in Gaza, and significant constraints on aid shipments remain in place.