The Gaza conflict began with Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack, resulting in heavy Israeli casualties and extensive Palestinian civilian suffering, with widespread destruction and displacement following Israel’s invasion.

Participants addressed halting West Bank and East Jerusalem developments, including stopping settlements and ensuring the release of Palestinian tax revenues.

During Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s Madrid visit on Human Rights Day, Sánchez reiterated that true peace requires justice and accountability for those responsible for Gaza’s devastation.

Efforts are aimed at securing a durable ceasefire and facilitating humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza.

Sánchez called for accountability for the Gaza devastation and urged the international community to keep Gaza visible, insisting that any ceasefire must be real and attacks on civilians must end.

Spain reaffirmed its commitment to a two-state solution, prioritizing keeping the Palestinian crisis visible, supporting Palestinian governance, and coordinating with partners to create security conditions to end violence.

The discussions also touched on Gaza reconstruction and the withdrawal of Israeli forces as steps to prevent further displacement and annexation.

The existing US-backed ceasefire framework, in effect since October, consists of three phases with potential Israeli withdrawal and disarmament conditions, and Netanyahu indicated the plan is moving into its second phase.

Hamas leader Khaled Meshal floated a long-term truce with a weapons freeze in exchange for stabilizing arrangements, suggesting a possible international stabilization force rather than full disarmament.

Ceasefire exchanges have included the release of approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and the majority of hostages, with one body remaining to be accounted for.

Netanyahu planned a meeting with the U.S. president to discuss next steps in the truce, signaling ongoing international mediation.

Sánchez frames 2025 as a dire year for Palestinians, citing UN rubble estimates, and reiterates that rebuilding begins with a two-state solution as the first step toward peace.