Spanish Social Rights Minister Ione Belarra, who also leads the left-wing Podemos party, has accused Israel of conducting a “live genocide” in Gaza, the latest in a series of criticisms against the ongoing conflict in the Palestinian enclave.
In a post on the social media platform X, Belarra expressed her refusal to be an accomplice to what she described as Israel’s indiscriminate attacks on Gaza, resulting in over 11,400 casualties, mostly women and children.
Belarra highlighted distressing incidents in Gaza, such as the removal of premature babies from their incubators at Al-Shifa Hospital due to fuel shortages, surrounded by Israeli forces. She also pointed to the deliberate targeting of ambulances by Israel, leaving thousands under the rubble and numerous individuals, especially children, brutally killed.
Calling the actions a “live genocide,” Belarra urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) to bring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his political leadership to justice. She claimed that more than 60 MPs in Europe and Latin America were joining her in this effort.
On the social media platform X, Belarra stated, “A century ago, fascist barbarism was rampant in Europe. Let’s not let the same thing happen in Palestine with the extermination of the Palestinian people. Let’s break relations with Israel now and take its government before the International Criminal Court.”
Last month, Belarra accused Israel of carrying out a “planned genocide” against Gaza in response to the indiscriminate strikes following Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel on October 7. Israel later issued a statement accusing “certain elements” within the Spanish government of aligning with Hamas, without specifically naming Belarra.
