Spanish king calls for 'durable' cease-fire in Gaza

GENEVA

Spain’s King Felipe VI called Wednesday for a “durable” cease-fire in the Gaza Strip amid an onslaught by Israel despite a provisional decision by the International Court of Justice, said Spanish news agency, EFE.

Humanitarian aid should be provided “to the maximum” to assist the population of the Palestinian territory, Felipe VI said during a reception for the diplomatic corps accredited in Spain at the Royal Palace of Madrid.

The king also demanded the immediate release of the Israeli hostages, according to the report.

He also reiterated his call for a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine with “mutual security guarantees, full independence and recognized borders.”

Israel has launched a deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 Hamas attack, killing at least 26,900 Palestinians and injuring 65,949. Nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.

The Israeli offensive has left 85% of Gaza’s population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.