CEUTA — Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez accused networks linked to Russia and Israel of spreading disinformation regarding the migration crisis in Ceuta. The prime minister stated that these campaigns were retaliatory measures against Spain's foreign policy positions on the war in Ukraine and Israel's actions in the Palestinian Territories.

"After July 30 and 31, there was a spread of rumors and disinformation from social networks linked both to Russia and to Israel, and the international far-right that always uses migration not only to attack Spain, but also to attack Europe and divide it, Sánchez said. He argued that the criticism was not rooted in concern for migration issues but rather in political retaliation."

It is evident that if Russia gets involved in spreading disinformation on this issue, or Israel also spreads disinformation on this issue, criticizing the Spanish government, it will not be because they are concerned about migration in Spain or Europe, but precisely because of the political positions we are taking — courageous ones, I believe — regarding the genocide in Gaza or Putin's invasion of Ukraine, Sánchez said.

Sánchez denied that Moroccan authorities encouraged or permitted the rush of migrants across the border. When people talk and speculate about the participation of Moroccan authorities, I deny this outright," he said. He added that no intelligence service with which the Spanish government normally cooperates had suggested any involvement in one way or another of the Moroccan authorities. There was no information from any intelligence agency that raised doubts over the involvement of Moroccan authorities, he stated."

The accusations followed a massive surge in border crossings. More than 72,000 migrants crossed the border from Morocco into Ceuta between July 30 and July 31, 2026. Sánchez said criminal gangs used disinformation to falsely claim that a Spanish Supreme Court ruling meant no one who entered Ceuta by swimming could be deported to Morocco.

At least 70 people died during the attempted mass crossings into Ceuta, according to Spain's national EFE news agency. Ceuta’s local authorities reported that at least 100 people died during the attempted mass crossings. A Moroccan official attributed the sudden rush of migrants to factors including malicious exploitation of digital platforms and the spread of misleading information online.

Disagreement persists regarding the number of migrants currently in the enclave. Sánchez stated that between 3,500 and 7,000 migrants remain in Ceuta, while local authorities estimate the figure is at least 10,000. Around 5,000 migrants remained in Ceuta at the end of August, including 1,200 minors, according to Sánchez.

To address the situation, Sánchez announced an additional €168 million in financial assistance to help Ceuta manage the consequences of the migrant influx. He also said 6,000 places at reception centres would soon be available for migrants in Ceuta.

Israeli officials rejected the prime minister's claims. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called Pedro Sánchez's remarks "brazen lies" in a post on X. "Prime Minister @sanchezcastejon is lying shamelessly," Saar wrote. He continued, "In his interview with Cadena SER today, he lied again, astonishingly accusing Israel of disseminating misleading information regarding the events in Ceuta. This is a blatant lie." Saar added that continuing to spread defamatory lies would not distract from Sánchez's shameful failure in managing his country's affairs.

Tensions had escalated earlier in the crisis. Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon wrote on X on July 30 that Spain declared a state of emergency in Ceuta following the crisis over its immigration policy. "Spain, which never misses an opportunity to lecture Israel, has declared a state of emergency in Ceuta following the crisis over its immigration policy," Danon wrote. He asked, "Maybe before it continues lecturing us, it's time it explained to the world why it still maintains colonial enclaves in Africa." The Russian government also rejected Pedro Sánchez's allegations, according to anonymous Kremlin officials cited by RBC Newspaper and Europe Press.

Domestic opposition criticized the government's handling of the situation. Residents of Ceuta have held regular demonstrations over security and hygiene problems linked to the migrant influx.

Violence occurred within the enclave during the crisis. Four Moroccan migrants were arrested on Saturday for throwing stones at Spanish soldiers in Ceuta. Police arrested three Moroccan citizens on Sunday for lobbing bottles filled with corrosive liquids against an army patrol in Ceuta. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni were among the signatories of the joint EU letter on migration.

Timeline

On July 30, 2026, Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon wrote on X that Spain declared a state of emergency in Ceuta following the crisis over its immigration policy. Danon stated, "Spain, which never misses an opportunity to lecture Israel, has declared a state of emergency in Ceuta following the crisis over its immigration policy." He added, "Maybe before it continues lecturing us, it's time it explained to the world why it still maintains colonial enclaves in Africa."

As many as 141 people are thought to have died trying to enter Ceuta at the end of July. At least 100 people died during the attempted mass crossings into Ceuta, according to Ceuta’s local authorities.

What's New

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said on August 31, 2026, that there were indications that Russia and Israel had spread disinformation about Spain’s migration policy, triggering the influx of migrants into Ceuta, but there was no evidence of Moroccan involvement. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said that research by the European External Action Service (EEAS) indicated links with Israeli and Russian networks, but he gave no further details.

Research titled "Spanish elections: why devastating local losses to the right have forced socialist prime minister Pedro Sánchez to call an early national vote" was published in 2023. A study titled The 2023 Elections in Greece and Spain: Evolving Party Systems in Post‐Crisis Southern Europe was published in 2024 in JCMS Journal of Common Market Studies. Spain's conservative People's Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo accused the government of failing to protect the people of Ceuta. He stated, "It did nothing to avoid the invasion on 30 July and it’s doing nothing to stop the public order crisis that’s getting worse every day."

Why It Matters

The accusation that foreign state-linked networks exploited a migration crisis represents an escalation in diplomatic tensions between Spain and both Russia and Israel. By linking the disinformation campaigns to Spain's stance on the war in Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza, Prime Minister Sánchez framed the event as part of a broader geopolitical struggle rather than a isolated border incident. The reliance on European External Action Service research suggests an effort to institutionalize the claim within EU frameworks, potentially influencing broader European migration and foreign policy debates.

The disparity in migrant counts and the high number of deaths highlight the severe humanitarian and logistical challenges facing Ceuta. With local authorities estimating at least 10,000 migrants remaining while the central government cites lower figures, the crisis exposes gaps in data coordination and resource allocation. The financial injection of €168 million and the promise of reception center spaces indicate a long-term management strategy, but the ongoing arrests and civil unrest suggest that immediate stability remains elusive.