Speaking during a government oversight session at the Spanish Congress on October 16, 2024, Ione Belarra leveled serious accusations against Israel over the tents housing displaced Palestinians catching fire near Gaza’s Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. Belarra, who was Podemos’ secretary-general in 2024 and previously served as social rights minister, said people in the tents had been burned to death and compared the incident with Nazi gas chambers.
During her speech, Belarra used an image or photograph showing people in Gaza surrounded by flames. Arguing that there was no difference between what was happening in Gaza and the gas chambers of the Nazi era, Belarra also strongly condemned Israel’s military operations.
The fire broke out at a hospital compound in Deir al-Balah
The remarks came against the backdrop of tents set up by displaced Palestinians catching fire on October 14, 2024, at the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital compound in Gaza’s city of Deir al-Balah. Following the fire, the safety of civilians sheltering around the hospital, the availability of safe areas in Gaza and the protection of civilians during the war came under renewed discussion.
The number of people who died in the fire, its exact cause and the chain of responsibility have not been established through an independent investigation. In this context, Belarra’s remarks are treated not as a definitive field assessment establishing all the circumstances of the fire, but as a politician’s assessment of and accusations regarding the fire and Israel’s operations in Gaza.
Belarra calls on Sánchez government to impose an arms embargo
Belarra’s criticism was not limited to the military operations in Gaza. Targeting Pedro Sánchez’s government over the continuation of arms sales to Israel and permits for military shipments, Belarra renewed her calls for an arms embargo, economic sanctions and diplomatic pressure.
In statements since 2023, Belarra has also strongly criticized Israel’s operations in Gaza and called for sanctions from Spain and the European Union. Her speech in Congress on October 16, 2024, continued Podemos’ political criticism that the Spanish government had not taken a sufficiently tough stance toward Israel.
The renewed circulation of the material appears to be linked to Belarra’s speech on October 16, 2024, rather than the announcement of a new event. The remarks should therefore not be treated as a current development, and it should be taken into account that the speech followed the fire near Al-Aqsa Hospital on October 14, 2024.
