Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told parliament on Thursday that no institution, including the diplomatic service and European Commission, had provided solid evidence that Morocco planned or carried out the July 30 border breach into Ceuta, in which as many as 70,000 people crossed and an estimated 141 died attempting the entry. About 90% of those who crossed returned to Morocco within 24 hours, though several thousand, including at least 500 minors, remain.
Sanchez conceded that Moroccan forces allowed crossings during a key 10-hour period on July 30 but said authorities had yet to determine whether this reflected inaction or inability to contain the influx. A Spanish police report commissioned by a High Court judge alleged total permissiveness by Moroccan police, with some uniformed officers directing people toward the crossing point; Moroccan authorities have denied any enabling role.
Spain summoned Morocco's ambassador on August 21 over sovereignty claims made by two Moroccan ministers regarding Ceuta and Melilla, while Sanchez appealed for European solidarity, pointedly invoking Greenland and Lampedusa alongside Ceuta. Tens of thousands protested his handling of the crisis in Madrid the previous day, with opposition parties calling for his resignation.
A central disagreement remains over Moroccan conduct: the leaked police report cites migrant interviews describing guidance from Moroccan security forces and notes trafficking groups lack the capacity to mobilise such numbers, while Sanchez maintains the government has no evidence of orchestration and Morocco attributes the surge to traffickers and social media mobilisation.