<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>The Spanish government declared this Saturday that Hamas's acceptance of the US peace plan is "a step towards peace" and reiterated its call for the parties "to commit to ending the violence."</strong></h4> "The Spanish government also appreciates the mediation efforts of Qatar and Egypt to achieve a ceasefire agreement," the statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues. "A definitive ceasefire is urgent to end the violence and suffering in Gaza, which have already lasted too long, for the release of the hostages, and for the massive entry of humanitarian aid," the government states. "Spain reiterates its support for the efforts to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East, based on the effective implementation of the two-state solution, and will continue working with its partners for regional stability," the statement concludes. The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas agreed this Friday to release all hostages in the Gaza Strip in compliance with the peace proposal presented by US President Donald Trump, provided that conditions on the ground allow for such an exchange. It also expressed its willingness to engage in immediate negotiations, through mediators, to discuss the details of Trump's plan and favored a government of technocrats administering the Gaza Strip. In any case, it rejected the presence of Western oversight led by Tony Blair, as proposed in Point 9 of the plan, and called for the creation of a comprehensive Palestinian national framework "in which Hamas will participate actively and responsibly" and based on "relevant international laws and resolutions." The US president had asked Hamas to comment on the plan by Sunday and warned that failure to accept it would unleash "hell like never before seen against Hamas." <h5><strong>Olmert defends two-state solution</strong></h5> On the other hand, former Israeli Prime Minister (2006-2009) Ehud Olmert warned this Saturday, during his speech on the third and final day of the La Toja Forum, that “there is only one possible solution” for the Middle East: “a two-state solution.” Olmer, who has repeatedly been highly critical of the Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu, stated that the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, caused “trauma” because they targeted “civilians, in their homes,” but warned that “Israel is strong enough to be capable of trying to find some kind of balance without forgetting or forgiving what has been done to us.” “The day of peace between Israel and Palestine is closer than many think,” he asserted. “There will be a Palestinian state in the territories that many Israelis believe belong to them,” but to achieve that, he warned, it is necessary to “fight for peace and defend it” through elections. <h5><strong>Demonstrations</strong></h5> Meanwhile, more than 70 demonstrations were held this Saturday in major Spanish cities under the slogan "Stop the genocide in Palestine, end the arms trade and relations with Israel," to demand an end to the war in Palestine and support the detained Global Union Flotilla activists. In central Madrid, according to the Government Delegation, more than 90,000 people gathered. In Barcelona, 2,000 protesters gathered, and there were clashes between Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) and demonstrators who attacked the stores of international brands.
