Speaking in Madrid on Monday, the People’s Party leader said Ceuta needed greater security and criticised the current border arrangements.

"It needs physical certainty with a border that is not made of plastic, but is real," Feijoo said.

"It needs a migration policy that does not turn the city into the front line of the current government's mistakes. It needs economic certainty, it needs infrastructure and opportunities," he added.

Feijoo made the remarks as he introduced Ceuta President Juan Jesus Vivas at the New Economy Forum.

Spanish authorities initially estimated that around 72,000 people entered Ceuta during the July crossing. Most have since returned to Morocco, but thousands remain in the city.

The influx has triggered protests and increased political pressure on Sanchez’s government. Tensions have also spilled into violence involving migrants and local residents.

Feijoo criticised the government’s plan to accommodate more than 1,000 migrants at part of Ceuta’s port.

"Placing more than a thousand immigrants in a port just a few metres from the ships that carry passengers to the mainland is grossly irresponsible and also hinders the work of the state security forces and bodies," Feijoo said.

He also claimed residents were increasingly concerned about security in the city.

"We know you are living in fear in a Spanish city, because we know that many women return home at nightfall. I myself have witnessed that testimony. And because we know that there are those wondering what will become of the city," he added.

Spain reinforced Ceuta’s maritime frontier at the Tarajal breakwater following the crisis, installing a 500-metre pneumatic barrier supported by naval buoys and Guardia Civil patrols.

On Monday, Sanchez authorised the use of Ceuta’s port as an accommodation site for more than 1,000 migrants.

Police vans patrolled around the Loma Colmenar site as officers moved migrants away from the facility. Some people were seen sitting on the ground under police guard, while others ran past police vehicles.

The unrest erupted as authorities began allowing more migrants into the temporary facility, where many had been sleeping outside while waiting for accommodation.

One Moroccan migrant described the scramble to secure a place inside.

"As you've seen, everyone is pushing each other, fighting to the death for a spot—everyone wants to get in," he said.

"We've been coming here for a week or more, and we haven't seen any solution. We come here to sleep, and they kick us out. We don't understand any of this; we haven't seen any solution," he added.

Local media reported that order broke down when hundreds attempted to enter the centre at the same time. Police eventually dispersed the crowd and officers also fired warning shots into the air during the operation.

Some migrants were seen kneeling or lying face down during the police response, with one person crying and another having milk poured over his eyes.

Loma Colmenar is among several temporary reception sites opened after thousands of migrants entered Ceuta from Morocco on July 30 and 31, placing increased pressure on the Spanish enclave's reception system.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Monday that more than 3,300 temporary places were already available across Ceuta. He said capacity was expected to increase to 6,000.

Medical workers treated injured migrants and handed out medical supplies in the Samu Naves area on Wednesday, while several people gathered around an ambulance seeking help.

One young migrant claimed people have come from nearby areas to beat migrants and steal their food and belongings.

"They've treated us with such contempt. We sleep on the street, and there are people who take our food. Look, they're beating us, assaulting us, and trying to take our belongings by force," the migrant said.

"We're helpless because we're strangers here, so we're forced to stay silent, and this is more than we can bear," he stressed.

Another migrant described the situation as "horrific", claiming women and children in the area face severe dangers, including drugs, armed attacks and sexual exploitation.

"Women are being stripped naked and forced into prostitution in public," he alleged. "We're living in terror here. We're just sitting around when some people attack us with guns and strange weapons and scare the children here."

A third migrant said people were struggling with exposure and hunger, claiming the food being provided was not enough.

"We're suffering here from the cold at night and the scorching heat in the morning. Winter is coming, but we have no blankets or anything else. The cold here will kill us," he said.

"The second problem is hunger, my brother, because the authorities here give us food only once a day, which isn't enough for us, and we go hungry all day long," the migrant added.

Reports of violence against migrants have emerged elsewhere in Ceuta. El Pais documented neighbourhood patrols in early August, including groups carrying weapons and coordinating efforts to drive migrants from residential areas.

Spanish authorities have not publicly addressed the specific allegations of violence against migrants in Ceuta. The government has reinforced security in the enclave and announced additional accommodation and humanitarian support for migrants.

Spanish authorities are reportedly investigating allegations of sexual violence against migrant women and girls in Ceuta. At least four migrant girls were reported to have received hospital treatment following alleged sexual assaults.

Meanwhile, UNICEF has warned that hundreds of migrant children remain in unsafe and unsanitary conditions, with some sleeping on the streets for weeks and urgently needing food and medical care.

Spain's Ministry of Inclusion said on Monday that four temporary sites were being prepared in Ceuta, adding 1,500 places. The ministry added that the Red Cross has been distributing around 4,000 food kits a day since August 3.

The measures follow the influx from Morocco on July 30 and 31, when tens of thousands of people entered Ceuta by land and sea. Thousands are still believed to remain in the enclave, although estimates from Spanish and local authorities have varied.

The scale of the late-July crossings remains disputed, with estimates ranging from around 40,000 according to Moroccan authorities to 72,000 in a later Spanish estimate. There is no established evidence that Morocco deliberately organised the crossings, while reports have pointed to online rumours and misinformation encouraging people to head towards the border. Moroccan authorities have since strengthened security around Ceuta, while Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez chaired another government coordination meeting on Monday to review security measures, migrant identification and assistance.

He left his family, university studies and home in Morocco behind with one goal: reaching mainland Europe and helping his younger brother pursue a career in football.

Nizar shares breakfast with friends inside their makeshift shelter on Playa del Trampolin before heading onto the sand to play football with other migrants.

He also walks through Ceuta to buy food, calls his worried mother and shares photos and videos of his younger brother playing football back home in Morocco.

"When I first came here, I had absolutely nothing," Nizar said. "I had to sleep on the ground with no blankets, but people in Ceuta helped us. Together we built this hut. Sometimes it gets good, sometimes it gets bad, but all we have here is patience."

For Nizar, football also provides a connection to the life he left behind.

"We lost our families, we lost our homes, but we still have this ball. It helps us forget the reality we are living in," he said.

Nizar, who studied at Mohammed Premier University in Oujda, said he swam to Ceuta 18 days ago without telling his parents.

He left university and his family hoping to reach mainland Europe, where he believes he can help his younger brother secure a place at a football academy.

"I came here with one goal in mind. I need to get my brother an opportunity [...] I left my mother, my father, I left university, I left everything back home. My dream is to see him playing on the big screen one day," he continued.

"I am surviving here just to get to Europe and maybe find him a place in an academy. As an older brother, I did all I could and I hope my work doesn't go to waste," he added.

Nizar shares the beach hut with his friend, 20-year-old Achraf Khannous from Sale, who also swam to Ceuta after studying to become a specialised technician.

The pair are now among hundreds of migrants living along the beach as they wait to find out what happens next.

Playa del Trampolin has become one of the most visible sites of Ceuta's migration crisis after mass crossings from Morocco at the end of July overwhelmed the Spanish enclave.

Hundreds of makeshift shelters now line the shoreline, with migrants sleeping rough while awaiting decisions over their future.

The beach remains under heavy security after fresh attempts to reach Ceuta led to another crackdown on both sides of the border over the weekend.

Spain reinforced National Police , Civil Guard and maritime patrols, while Morocco increased operations along its northern coast to prevent further crossings.

Moroccan authorities initially said 148 people were intercepted around Fnideq on Saturday, with later reports putting the number detained at close to 300.

The operation followed online calls for another mass attempt to enter Ceuta and Melilla. Authorities also detained dozens of people suspected of promoting irregular crossings on social media .

Spain sent additional National Police and Civil Guard personnel to Ceuta, increased maritime patrols and installed new barriers off the coast.

The measures follow the mass influx from Morocco on July 30 and 31, when tens of thousands of people entered Ceuta by land and sea.

Thousands are still believed to remain in the enclave, although estimates from Spanish and local authorities have varied.

Scores of people also died during the crossings, with Spanish and Moroccan authorities and humanitarian groups reporting different death tolls.

Footage shows migrants watching as the partially obscured sun descended towards the horizon. Red Cross workers are also seen distributing supplies and assisting migrants.

"Today is an exceptional day for me because we happened to come out here by chance. We didn’t expect to see this exact scene, but it is extraordinary and amazing," one of the migrants said.

For another migrant, the eclipse brought mixed emotions as he reflected on his situation in Ceuta.

"At this moment, I have a strange feeling. I don’t know whether it is sadness or happiness. There is no future for us. Where are we supposed to go in this world ?," he said.

On August 12, the eclipse crossed Greenland and Iceland before reaching Spain in the evening. The path of totality stretched across much of northern Spain before reaching the Mediterranean and Balearic Islands.

About 15 million people watched the rare celestial event from the ground across Spain, including in Leon, Valladolid and Palma de Mallorca.

The last total solar eclipse visible from mainland Spain took place in 1905. A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes directly between the Earth and the sun, completely blocking the sun for observers within the path of totality.

Around 72,000 people crossed into Ceuta from Morocco during the mass influx beginning on July 30. Spanish authorities say about 70,000 were subsequently returned to Morocco.

Ceuta's president, Juan Jesus Vivas, said on Monday that between 8,000 and 11,000 migrants could still be in the city, disputing lower estimates from Spain's central government.

Footage shows children sleeping on cardboard and makeshift bedding beside warehouses. Some said they had spent days without food, water or basic sanitation while pleading with authorities to move them into shelters.

"We sleep here on the ground. Even for the restroom, God forbid, we can't find a place to relieve ourselves, and I'm asking the authorities to take us to the shelter for minors. This is what I'm requesting," one minor said.

"We crossed the sea, and the police are harassing us. Just a few moments ago, they even beat up a journalist here. The women here are sleeping on nothing but cardboard. The suffering here is immense," another added.

Spanish authorities estimated that more than 70,000 people crossed into Ceuta in less than 48 hours between July 30 and 31, making it the largest migrant influx in the enclave's history .

Most of those who crossed have since returned to Morocco, but more than 1,000 unaccompanied children remain in Ceuta, where reception centres continue to operate beyond capacity.

By February 25, Spanish authorities had relocated 1,019 unaccompanied migrant children from Ceuta, Melilla and the Canary Islands to other parts of Spain under changes to the country's immigration system. The legislation passed without the support of the conservative People's Party or Vox.

In July, Spain approved €35 million ($41 million) to support the care of unaccompanied migrant children nationwide, including €5.5 million ($6.4 million) for Ceuta.

Under Spanish law, unaccompanied minors are protected by child welfare procedures and cannot be summarily returned across the border. Authorities must determine their status before placing them under the care of child-protection services .

Morocco’s Interior Ministry said 11 migrants had died attempting to reach Spanish territory, with media reports putting the toll at at least 71. Authorities linked the surge in crossings to misleading information online and smuggling networks, as tens of thousands moved towards Ceuta, prompting a large security operation, a state of emergency in the enclave and political tensions between Spain and other European Union countries.

Others argued that Europe is struggling to cope with rising migration, linking the influx to concerns over crime and pressure on public services .

The developments have renewed debate across Europe over border security , migration policy and the need for a coordinated response to one of the continent's most pressing challenges.

Spain's Interior Ministry estimated that around 50,000 people entered Ceuta, while the regional government put the figure as high as 60,000. Many crossed on foot or by swimming around coastal border barriers.

Thousands, including unaccompanied children , were left without shelter. Some migrants said they were returning to Morocco because they could not find food or accommodation in Ceuta.

Spanish authorities said at least 57 people died during the crossings, either by drowning or in crushes near the border.

Spanish security officials estimated that around 53,000 people later returned voluntarily to Morocco, although they said departures were easier to count than arrivals.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez described the mass crossing as a "violation of Spain's territorial integrity" and said the government was working with Morocco to accelerate returns and strengthen border security.

The crisis also prompted political tensions across Europe. Italy temporarily restored border checks for air and sea travel from Spain, while France strengthened controls along its border with Spain.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the scenes as "unacceptable", calling for an end to dangerous crossings, action against migrant smuggling networks and faster returns under European Union rules.