Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Tuesday briefed his Spanish counterpart on a proposed ceasefire deal for Gaza and urged the European Union to take "effective and specific measures" to compel Israel to comply with international law, Egypt's foreign ministry said. In a phone call with Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, Abdelatty outlined the proposed deal, which is based on a proposal by US envoy Steve Witkoff. The Egyptian minister said the "ball is now in Israel's court" and that the proposal includes a 60-day ceasefire to allow for negotiations on a comprehensive settlement, the release of hostages and prisoners, and the entry of humanitarian aid. The two ministers agreed on the extreme gravity of the current situation, the expansion of Israeli military operations in the occupied Palestinian territories, and the unprecedented deterioration of the humanitarian situation to the point of famine. Abdelatty stated that Israeli "crimes have exceeded all limits." The Spanish foreign minister noted that his call was part of an effort to hear Egypt's vision on the developments in Gaza ahead of an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Denmark at the end of the month. The ministers also praised the "excellent" bilateral relations between Egypt and Spain and discussed the upcoming visit of the King of Spain to Egypt. They noted the rapid growth in their relationship, particularly after President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's official visit to Spain in February 2025, which saw bilateral ties elevated to a strategic partnership.
