<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>The Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, released separate messages this Tuesday, marking the second anniversary of "the terrible attacks perpetrated by Hamas." In these messages, they called for "the immediate release of the Israeli hostages," called on Israel to "stop the genocide" in the Gaza Strip, and advocated for the implementation of the two-state solution to end the violence.</strong></h4> “Today marks two years since the terrible attacks perpetrated by Hamas,” Sánchez wrote on social media, marking the second anniversary of the attacks carried out by Hamas in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. “It is a day to reiterate our resounding condemnation of terrorism in all its forms, to call for the immediate release of the Israeli hostages, and to demand that Netanyahu stop the genocide of the Palestinian people and open a humanitarian corridor,” he continued. “Dialogue and the consolidation of the two states are the only possible solution to end the conflict and achieve a future of peace,” the Prime Minister added. “It marks two years since the horrific Hamas terrorist attack, which we firmly condemn,” Albares wrote. “We remember the victims, especially our compatriots Maya Villalobo and Iván Illarramendi, who were murdered that day. Our complete solidarity goes out to their families and friends,” he continued. “The hostages must be released now,” the Foreign Minister insisted. “Spain is working for peace and the implementation of the two-state solution, Palestine and Israel, living together in peace and security,” he concluded. <h5><strong>Von der Leyen and Costa</strong></h5> For their part, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the President of the European Council, António Costa, urged the parties to the conflict on Tuesday to participate “constructively” in the negotiations in Sharm el Sheikh (Egypt) in order to move toward a peaceful solution based on the plan proposed by Donald Trump. On the occasion of this date, both von der Leyen and Costa issued a message on their social media channels in which they reiterated the European Union's condemnation of the attack and its solidarity with the victims. In their statement, they affirmed that “we will never forget the horror of the Hamas attacks on October 7 and the pain they caused to the innocent victims, their families, and the entire people of Israel two years ago.” The European leaders underscored their commitment to peace, reaffirming that “we honor the memory of the victims by working tirelessly for peace in the region.” They also called for the “immediate release of all hostages” and affirmed that “a ceasefire is now within reach” and must be achieved to alleviate the situation of those affected. Regarding the ongoing negotiations, the EU leaders called on all parties involved to engage constructively in the talks taking place in Egypt, within the framework of Trump's 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza. The European leaders also stressed the importance of this historic moment in moving toward a lasting peace, based on the two-state solution, that guarantees stability and security for all parties in the region.
