Spain’s Sánchez accuses Israel and Russia-linked networks of fueling Ceuta disinformation

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has accused networks linked to Israel and Russia of spreading false or misleading information about the migration crisis in Ceuta, Spain’s North African enclave.

In an interview with Spanish media, Sánchez said the networks helped amplify claims surrounding the mass arrival of migrants in the territory. He alleged that the campaign relied partly on a distorted interpretation of a Supreme Court ruling concerning migrants who cross the border by swimming.

The prime minister said the content was intended to weaken his government and erode confidence in European institutions. He placed the alleged campaign in the context of Madrid’s diplomatic tensions with Moscow over the war in Ukraine and with Israel over the conflict in the Middle East.

Sánchez said Spanish security and intelligence agencies had found no evidence that Morocco was directly responsible for triggering the crisis. Instead, he praised Rabat for what he described as its immediate cooperation with Spanish authorities.

The crisis began in late July, when tens of thousands of people crossed from Morocco into Ceuta. El País reported that approximately 80,000 irregular entries were recorded on July 30 and 31.

Faced with the scale of the influx, Madrid requested assistance from Frontex, the European Union agency responsible for supporting the management of the bloc’s external borders.