Thousands of migrants remain in Spanish territory after border rush, death toll hits about 100: Ceuta official

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Between 3,000 and 5,000 migrants remain in the Spanish territory of Ceuta after a mass crossing from Morocco last week, the enclave's president has said. The announcement came as the death toll from the surge was put at about 100, with local and European officials trading blame over the causes of the crisis.

Addressing the European Parliament, Ceuta President Juan Jesús Vivas expressed "profound sorrow" over what he called the "irreparable tragedy" of the deaths, which occurred after roughly 78,000 migrants arrived by sea in a matter of hours. He said the return of nearly 75,000 migrants to Morocco had "considerably alleviated" the situation, but that Ceuta had not yet returned to normal.

Coverage comparison

Reports on the crisis vary in their emphasis and in some figures. The BBC highlighted the humanitarian emergency and public order disturbances in Ceuta, as well as the EU Commission's commendation of Spain's "swift response." Fox News focused on Vivas's characterization of the border rush as an "invasion," quoting his remarks at length. The Jerusalem Post stressed accusations that Morocco encouraged the influx and reported differing numbers on the scale of the crossing and the death toll.

Key claims

Numbers on the ground: Vivas said between 3,000 and 5,000 migrants remain in Ceuta. That estimate was reported by both BBC and Fox News. Spanish authorities estimate that about 69,500 migrants have returned to Morocco since last week's crossing, according to the Jerusalem Post, which also cited Moroccan authorities as saying about 40,000 people entered the enclave.

The total number of arrivals is disputed. BBC reported that roughly 78,000 migrants crossed by sea, while Fox News cited authorities estimating around 80,000 rushed into the territory within a 48-hour period in late July. The Jerusalem Post reported a higher estimate of 80,000 as well, though it noted that number could be equivalent to the entire population of Ceuta.

Death toll: BBC reported that 100 deaths occurred after the mass crossing, a figure also cited by Fox News. The Jerusalem Post gave a more detailed breakdown, saying the death toll stands at 72 on the Spanish side and 11 on the Moroccan side. The discrepancy between the 100 total and the sum of 83 has not been reconciled in the reporting.

Vivas's characterization: Vivas called the border crisis an "invasion" and "one of the most difficult moments in the recent history of our city," according to Fox News. He reportedly cited the Royal Spanish Academy's second definition of "invasion" as "the abnormal or irregular occupation of a specific place," and said that is what occurred on July 30 and 31. He also noted that Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez had described the event as "an attack, a violation of Spain's territorial integrity."

Accusations against Morocco: Vivas, who is the regional president of Ceuta, accused Morocco of having "encouraged and permitted" the influx of migrants, as reported by the Jerusalem Post. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned against any attempt to use irregular migration to pressure an EU member state, according to the same report.

Blame from Morocco: A senior Moroccan official told reporters that Spanish authorities should have anticipated the consequences of a court ruling that weakened a key deterrent against illegal migration and contributed to the mass crossings. The Jerusalem Post reported that the Spanish ruling on July 8 limited the immediate return of migrants who reach the Spanish enclaves by sea. The Moroccan official said Morocco had not relaxed border controls or reduced security deployments before the crossing, and he maintained that Spain is responsible for deterring migration.

EU reaction: The EU Commission commended Spain's "swift response" to the crisis, which included deploying armed forces to Ceuta and Melilla, according to BBC. However, the crisis has created tensions among EU nations that share open borders and sparked criticism of the Spanish government, BBC reported.

Minors in Ceuta: Vivas said it was "basically impossible" to return the migrant children who remained in Ceuta because this required their consent, according to BBC. Thousands of migrant children are thought to remain in the territory, where they are being registered by authorities.

Perspectives

Ceuta's president, Juan Jesús Vivas: He described the mass crossing as an "invasion" and accused Morocco of encouraging and permitting the influx. He also criticized the national government's response as "late and insufficient," saying he had personally told Prime Minister Sánchez so. He said the number of migrants still in Ceuta was uncertain due to limited resources.

Morocco's government: A senior Moroccan official said Spain should have anticipated the consequences of the July 8 court ruling that limited immediate returns of migrants arriving by sea. The official insisted Morocco had not relaxed border controls or reduced security deployments and argued that Spain is responsible for deterring migration. Morocco's migration-control approach rests on prevention and deterrence, according to the Jerusalem Post.

Spain's central government: Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the event as "an attack, a violation of Spain's territorial integrity," as quoted by Vivas. The interior minister was also involved in the response, though details of his comments were not provided.

European Commission: President Ursula von der Leyen warned against using irregular migration to pressure an EU member state and commended Spain's swift response, including the deployment of armed forces.