Madrid, May 30 (IANS): Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez held a meeting on Gaza with a delegation of the Ministerial Committee commissioned by the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit here, a day after Spain's official recognition of Palestinian statehood.

The delegation thanked Spain for the "historic and courageous" step that the recognition of a Palestinian state represents at this time. It is not just a symbolic step, but one that keeps alive the idea of the two states, the delegation said on Wednesday, according to a Spanish government statement.

The meeting highlighted Spain's commitment and willingness to negotiate with Arab and Islamic countries in their efforts to put an end to violence and materialise the two-state solution, the statement added as quoted by Xinhua news agency report.

Palestinian Authority Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Mustafa said that Spain, Norway, and Ireland's recognition of Palestine as a state on Tuesday "lays the foundations for a new beginning for the region".

Sanchez reiterated the need to stop Israel's military operation in Rafah, as well as to establish a permanent ceasefire, the release by Hamas of all hostages and to allow humanitarian aid access to Gaza on a large scale.

The committee was created in November last year to achieve a ceasefire, help humanitarian aid reach Gaza and set up an action plan to materialise the two-state solution.