Turkish president, Spanish premier discuss Israel's attacks in Gaza

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez have spoken over the phone and discussed Israel’s relentless attacks in Palestine's Gaza.

According to Türkiye’s Communications Directorate, Erdogan told Sanchez on Monday: "Israel's massacres against Palestine must be stopped as soon as possible and Israel must be forced to comply with international law."

Welcoming Spain’s decision to recognise Palestine as a state, the Turkish president also voiced his belief that this step will strengthen both the establishment of peace and justice in the region and efforts for a two-state solution.

The phone call also addressed bilateral relations between Türkiye and Spain as well as regional and global issues.

In a statement on X, Sanchez said he and Erdogan discussed the recognition of the State of Palestine by Spain and the need to reach "a peace agreement that definitively puts an end to the violence."

"We have analysed with President Erdogan the next Intergovernmental Summit that both countries will hold in Madrid next June. One more example of the strengthening of the excellent relations between Spain and Türkiye," Sanchez added.

Israel has killed more than 36,000 Palestinians in Gaza since a cross-border attack by Hamas on October 7 last year, which killed around 1,200 people.

The bombardment has turned much of the enclave of 2.3 million people into ruins, leaving most civilians homeless and at risk of famine.