The Spanish government has canceled a €700 million contract to purchase Israeli-made artillery systems from Elbit Systems, officials confirmed Monday, citing the ongoing Israeli genocidal campaign in Gaza and its catastrophic humanitarian consequences as the reason for the move.

The cancellation is the second high-value arms contract Madrid has scrapped in recent weeks, bringing the total value of halted deals with Israeli suppliers to roughly €1 billion.

Spanish leaders framed the decision as part of a wider political and moral response to the humanitarian emergency in Gaza, where international agencies say vast swathes of the population are facing catastrophic conditions after nearly two years of sustained military operations.

The move by Madrid comes as multiple UN and humanitarian bodies warn that Gaza is suffering a man-made famine and an unprecedented collapse of essential services. The World Health Organization reports that, as of early September 2025, hundreds of Palestinians — including at least 130 children — have already died of malnutrition, and famine (IPC Phase 5) has been confirmed in parts of the Gaza Governorate. Humanitarian agencies caution that deaths from starvation and disease will continue to rise unless lifesaving aid and fuel are restored immediately.

Independent monitoring and media outlets also report very high overall casualty figures and relentless bombardment across Gaza City and other population centres; Al Jazeera’s live coverage noted heavy strikes and tens of thousands displaced during recent escalations.

At the same time, investigative reporting has documented the lethal danger faced by people trying to reach aid: a recent investigation found that nearly 3,000 aid-seekers have been killed while attempting to collect food and assistance over the past 23 months, underlining the extreme risk civilians face even when seeking humanitarian relief.

The cancellation also arrives against the backdrop of mounting international legal action. The case South Africa v. Israel — brought before the International Court of Justice under the Genocide Convention — remains active, and the ICJ and UN human rights experts have repeatedly raised concerns about forcible displacement and other actions in Gaza that, they say, risk rendering populated areas uninhabitable. Several UN experts last week urged an emergency General Assembly response to the unfolding famine and alleged atrocities.

Spanish officials and other European governments have framed arms-contract suspensions as both a political protest and a precautionary measure to avoid supplying equipment that could be used in operations linked to widespread civilian harm. Analysts say Madrid’s step signals growing European pressure on Israel and could encourage further economic and diplomatic isolation if the humanitarian crisis continues unchecked. (ILKHA)