Spain sends over 48,000 migrants in Ceuta back to Morocco after deadly border rush

Key Points:

• Over 48,000 migrants, mostly Moroccans, crossed into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta since Thursday, with around 48,300 returned to Morocco by Friday evening amid reports of dozens of deaths, including drownings and trampling incidents.
• The surge in crossings is linked by local officials to a recent Spanish Supreme Court ruling making it harder to turn away migrants arriving by sea, though the exact cause remains unclear; the situation has been described as a "serious humanitarian crisis" with thousands sleeping in parks and on sidewalks.
• Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez condemned the influx as an "attack" on Spain's territorial integrity, announced increased military deployment, and plans to expedite repatriations, accusing human trafficking networks of exploiting the court ruling.
• Migrants cited social media posts encouraging entry into Spain and economic hardship in Morocco as motivations, though crossing into Ceuta does not guarantee free movement into mainland Europe due to further border controls.
• European leaders condemned the events, with Italy's Prime Minister calling for suspension of the Schengen agreement to protect borders, and the European Commission emphasizing the need to uphold EU migration rules.