A hospital in Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta has treated at least five girls under the age of 14 for suspected rape following a mass migrant surge, as Youth and Childhood Minister Sira Rego acknowledged a sharp increase in young girls among arrivals. Save the Children has warned that unaccompanied girls face heightened risks of trafficking and sexual exploitation as hundreds of children sleep on the streets.
The Ceuta Medical Association wrote to Spain's health minister warning of epidemic risks and demanding emergency health structures, saying the city's sole hospital is treating up to 400 migrants daily without additional staff or specialist surgeons. Local authorities estimate between 8,000 and 10,000 migrants remain, far exceeding Madrid's official tally.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's government has approved €25 million in emergency funding for Ceuta and plans to begin transferring minors to mainland Spain in the coming weeks. However, far-right officials in Andalusia and Extremadura have vowed to oppose the transfers. The National Court has opened a preliminary investigation into whether authorities received prior intelligence that could have warned of the late-July mass crossing.