ATHENS

A two-state solution is the only way to guarantee a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, the Spanish foreign minister said on Friday.

Addressing a news conference before the start of a ministerial meeting in Madrid, Jose Manuel Albares said a secure and peaceful coexistence of Israelis and Palestinians would be possible through the formation of an independent Palestinian state which would include Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem as its capital.

“This is what motivated Spain's recognition on May 28 of Palestine as a state, together with Norway, Ireland, and Slovenia,” he said.

Expressing support for the efforts to secure an urgent cease-fire deal for Gaza, Albares added: "There is no excuse to continue to postpone the agreement and to prolong the suffering of millions of innocent civilians.”

Israel has continued its brutal offensive on Gaza since an attack last October by the Palestinian group Hamas, despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

More than 41,100 people, mostly women and children, have since been killed and over 95,100 injured, according to local health authorities.

The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the territory amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel faces accusations of genocide for its actions in Gaza at the International Court of Justice.​​​​​​​