Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Monday (August 31, 2026) that there were indications that Russia and Israel had spread disinformation about Spain’s migration policy, triggering last month’s influx of migrants into Ceuta. However, he said there was no evidence of Moroccan involvement.

Over 72,000 migrants irregularly crossed ‌from Morocco into the tiny Spanish territory between July 30 and 31 in an unprecedented surge at one of the European ‌Union’s only two land borders with Africa, prompting alarm across the ‌bloc. ⁠At least 100 people died in the attempt, according to Ceuta’s ⁠local authorities.

Spanish Opposition parties and some human rights groups have accused Rabat of deliberately allowing the mass crossing, an accusation Morocco has denied.

“When people talk and speculate about the participation ​of Moroccan authorities, I deny this ‌outright,” Mr. Sanchez told radio station SER.

Videos on Instagram, TikTok and other social media spread misleading claims that migrants reaching Ceuta by sea could remain in Spain, encouraging thousands to attempt the crossing, Spanish authorities have said.

Sanchez said ‌research by the EU’s diplomatic service EEAS had indicated that Russian ​and Israeli networks had been behind the spread of disinformation in conjunction with far-right networks.

He said it was clear that ⁠the two countries had used the crisis to criticise Madrid due to dissatisfaction with its position on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, but gave no ‌further details on the evidence he had of their involvement.

Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Russia’s Embassy in Spain and the EEAS did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.

Rising tensions in Ceuta

Roughly 5,000 migrants, some seeking asylum, have remained in Ceuta since the border rush, triggering near-daily protests from locals against the Spanish government’s handling of the crisis and sporadic attacks ‌against a makeshift migrant camp at El Trampolin beach, according to police reports.

Police arrested ​three Moroccan citizens on Sunday for lobbing bottles filled with corrosive liquids against an army patrol in Ceuta, news agency EFE ⁠reported, citing police sources. No one was injured in the attack, the report added.

Mr. Sanchez ⁠also announced on Monday that the cabinet would deploy an additional €168 million ($195 million) in emergency funds to reactivate Ceuta’s economy, a figure ‌equivalent to 8% of the enclave’s gross domestic product, on top of €180 million pledged last week for medium-term recovery efforts.

Italy said on Friday (July 31, 2026) it was suspending the EU’s border-free ‌Schengen arrangements with Spain for one month in response to ​a mass influx of migrants into the Spanish ⁠enclave of Ceuta from neighbouring Morocco.

Italy does not share a land border with Spain, but the measure — which looks certain to anger ‌Madrid — will impact people travelling by plane or boat between the two countries, meaning they will need to ‌show a passport to gain access.

Italy’s Interior Ministry said ‌in ⁠a statement it had also agreed with Paris ⁠to strengthen controls along the Franco-Italian land border to try to prevent any undocumented migrants from crossing.

Critics of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing government dismissed the move ​as a symbolic gesture ‌aimed at a domestic political audience, with no evidence that the migrants in Ceuta had any intention of heading to Italy.

The decision to halt the Schengen pact came after ‌Spain said it had reversed the rush of migrants ​into its enclave in North Africa, with most of the more than 50,000 people who had crossed the ⁠border heading back voluntarily.

Mr. Meloni’s coalition, which came to power in 2022 promising to reduce illegal immigration, has faced strong pressure ‌from a new far-right party led by former army general Roberto Vannacci, whose anti-migrant rhetoric has resonated with some voters.

With migration once again dominating headlines, the government has sought to demonstrate a tough stance on border security. Centre-left opponents accused it bowing to a populist agenda.

“The problem is that this is a ‌purely demagogic proposal, as usual designed for domestic consumption and to compete ​with Vannacci, without solving anything at all,” said Piero De Luca, a senior lawmaker with the centre-left Democratic ⁠Party.

The Schengen Area allows passport-free travel across 29 European countries, although ⁠member states can temporarily reintroduce border controls on security or public-order grounds.

The Italian Interior Ministry said border police ‌would carry out “targeted, selective checks” on third-country nationals arriving from Spain to verify that they had the documents needed for ​travel within the European Union.