Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has harshly and repeatedly criticized Israel, for example accusing Israel of using intentional starvation against Gaza as a tactic of war.

Now his government is withholding food and water from Moroccan migrants in Ceuta, the Spanish border city that is politically but not physically part of Spain, to induce them to return to Morocco.

On July 30 and 31, about 72,000 Moroccans overwhelmed the border and flooded the streets of Ceuta, sparking criticism from other European Union countries such as Italy regarding Spain’s immigration policies as the city descended into chaos. About 70,000 have returned to Morocco, leaving about 2,000 starving and sleeping on the streets. Hundreds of young men have dug shallow pits on the beach for sleeping and have been refilling their water bottles at public showers. Many are suffering from exhaustion, shock, hypothermia and cuts. Many say they have been denied food, water and shelter, as residents of the city have allegedly been warned not to offer any help to the migrants in order to encourage them to leave.

The humanitarian crisis is worsening as thousands of migrants are forced to use the great outdoors as both their restroom and sleeping quarters. Ceuta houses only one migrant facility, which is full, and its occupants have been prohibited from passing out food and water to their fellow migrants.

One young man with open wounds on his arms and legs said, “I’m very hungry. They say everything is finished. And no water; they say everything is finished. I’ll wait until everyone leaves.”

Nevertheless, some of the city’s residents are offering aid in defiance of government directives.

Humanitarian organizations have warned that the humanitarian situation is deteriorating and that efforts to offer humanitarian assistance must be stepped up. The Red Cross said it was overwhelmed, and Amnesty International said the authorities must “ensure that adequate health and social resources are deployed.”

Critics are saying that Sánchez is doing what he falsely accused Israel of doing. Israel facilitated the entry of more than one ton of aid per person into Gaza since the war began in October 2023, the accusations of the Spanish premier notwithstanding. Meanwhile, Sánchez is purposely withholding aid to get migrants to leave.

Hillel Neuer, the executive director of UN Watch, remarked on the display of egregious hypocrisy in a sarcastic statement on X, alongside a link to an article about Spain’s horrifying treatment of the migrants.

“Thank you for teaching the world about international law, humanitarianism, and that ‘Public responsibility also entails a moral obligation not to look the other way,'” he said, quoting the prime minister’s sanctimonious words right back at him.