Spain defends Ceuta sovereignty after Moroccan migrant rush

Spain defended its sovereignty over Ceuta, a Spanish territory on the North African coast, following a surge of tens of thousands of irregular migrants crossing from Morocco. The influx, which began last week, resulted in the deaths of 72 individuals in Moroccan waters. While Spain refrained from criticizing Morocco, the government's delegate in Ceuta, Miguel Angel Perez, stated that "Ceuta and Melilla are an integral part of Spain’s territory is unquestionable, for the whole world."

Rescue efforts were ongoing at a warehouse complex housing many of the migrants, with reports of unsanitary conditions, including a lack of water and sanitation facilities. The charity Save the Children estimated that around 1,000 of the remaining migrants were minors who were "unprotected," as Ceuta's child protection system could only accommodate 100 children.

The exact number of migrants who remained in Ceuta was disputed, with figures ranging from 2,500 to 5,000, according to local officials. The toll of dead migrants in Moroccan waters remained at 72, though identifying the bodies could be challenging due to the lack of identification for many. Some analysts speculated that Morocco might have encouraged the mass crossings to exert pressure on Spain, which has recently strengthened relations with Algeria, Morocco's longtime rival.

Spanish authorities also suspected that criminal gangs may have spread misinformation about a recent Spanish Supreme Court ruling on immigration, allegedly loosening restrictions for migrants. EU interior ministers planned a video conference on Tuesday to discuss the migrant crisis in Ceuta.