Spain has moved decisively to deepen pressure on Israel’s leadership, announcing that National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, both viewed as architects of the assault on Gaza, have been formally barred from entering Spanish territory. The announcement by Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares comes as part of a broader set of measures targeting individuals deemed to hinder prospects for peace and accountability. The pair have been placed on Spain’s sanctions list and flagged within the Schengen information system.

In addition to the entry bans, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s administration has enacted a sweeping embargo on Israeli military logistics: Spanish ports and airspace are now closed to vessels or aircraft carrying weapons, ammunition, or fuel bound for the Israeli armed forces. These actions form part of a larger effort to compel a halt to the relentless destruction engulfing Gaza.

Spanish officials have emphasised a moral imperative driving the policy. Sánchez characterised the scale of human suffering in Gaza as no longer constituting legitimate self-defence, but “the extermination of a defenceless people” in violation of humanitarian law. The measures include bolstered contributions to UNRWA and other humanitarian mechanisms.

Diplomatic friction swiftly escalated. Israel responded by imposing entry bans on two Spanish ministers, Yolanda Díaz and Sira Rego, accusing Madrid of antisemitism and deflecting attention from internal corruption. Spain, in turn, recalled its ambassador for consultations and rejected Israeli claims as “slanderous”