U.K. Joins Forces to Sanction 2 Israeli Ministers ‘Inciting Extremist Violence’ in Gaza

What Happened?

The United Kingdom and four other ally countries have joined forces to issue sanctions on two Israeli government ministers for 'repeated incitements of violence' against Palestinians.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar will reportedly be banned from the U.K. and have any assets frozen in the country, Britain's foreign ministry said in a statement.

Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Norway joined the U.K. in its announcement on Tuesday.

The countries say that both ministers' actions incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights which 'are not acceptable.'

'This is why we have taken action now –- to hold those responsible to account,' they added.

U.K. officials have made it clear that Israel must 'cease the expansion of illegal settlements that undermine a future Palestinian state' and 'clamp down on settler violence.'

The two Israeli ministers, who live in settlements in the West Bank, are reportedly part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition.

Both ministers responded defiantly to the sanctions and vowed to continue their agenda.

'The sanctions do not scare me,' Ben Gvir said Tuesday. 'I will continue to act for our country, for our people, I will continue to act and make sure that they do not let humanitarian aid into Hamas.'

Smotrich added, while speaking during the inauguration of the new Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank, that 'Britain already tried once to prevent us from settling the cradle of our homeland, and we will not let it happen again.'

Why it Matters

As of April 2025, extremist settlers have carried out over 1,900 attacks against Palestinian civilians since January last year.

According to AFP, both Israeli ministers had drawn strong criticism for their stances that have influenced the ongoing war in Gaza.

The five countries pushed forward on issuing sanctions as Israel faces international criticism over its conduct in its conflict with Hamas.

President Donald Trump acknowledged some of Netanyahu's actions over delays in halting humanitarian aid entry into the Gaza Strip.

But so far, the Trump administration has not joined other countries in issuing such sanctions to expand protections in the region.

Instead, the White House continues to focus on its latest ceasefire attempt which had recently faced pushback from the Palestinian militant group.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff called Hamas' latest response 'totally unacceptable' after Israel welcomed the proposal.

A senior Hamas official reportedly said that the group had not rejected the latest proposal but instead questioned why the Israeli response is considered the only one for negotiation.

Hamas claimed Witkoff’s proposal lacked important items to ensure a successful conclusion and a full withdrawal of the Israeli military.

How it Affects You

Israeli officials have been accused of approaching a 'red line' that warned against ‘ethnic cleansing’ and the permanent displacement of millions of Gazans.

Continued attacks across the strip have shuttered some vital aid sites despite a growing hunger crisis and previous efforts to stop humanitarian resources.

The U.K. has followed through with taking 'concrete actions' despite questions looming around the U.S. and what they decide to do next.

While the U.S. could attempt to leverage new foreign relations in the Middle East, it's unclear what Trump has in mind to broker a peace agreement in the besieged territory.

Trump's previously expressed optimism that Israel and Hamas were close to making a deal but may now require increased measures to ensure a permanent ceasefire is foreseeable.