France: The European Union Will Impose New Sanctions Against Hamas

On Thursday, January 18, a spokesperson for the French Foreign Ministry stated that the foreign ministers of EU member countries will approve new sanctions against the militant group Hamas on Monday, January 22. According to Reuters, Christophe Lemoyne noted that the foreign ministers will also discuss potential actions against Israeli settlers in the West Bank who commit violence against Palestinians. Previously, the EU had imposed sanctions against Yahya Sinwar, the political leader of Hamas in Gaza. The French Foreign Ministry spokesperson told reporters, "These actions target individuals and prohibit money transfers." The U.S. and the U.K. had previously sanctioned officials who advance Hamas's programs and assist in managing its finances. The U.S. Treasury Department announced that Hamas has created a secret network of companies managing $500 million in investments from Turkey to Saudi Arabia. The United States, the European Union, the U.K., Canada, Japan, Israel, and several other countries have designated the Iran-backed Hamas group as a terrorist organization. The report states that the EU has expressed concern about the increase in violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Following the October 7 attack by Hamas militants on southern Israel and the country's response, violence in the West Bank has also escalated. The French Foreign Ministry stated that EU foreign ministers will continue discussions on actions against extremist settlers on Monday, and Paris is currently working on a plan in this regard. According to Reuters, some diplomats have predicted that passing unanimous bans against Israel in the EU will be difficult, as countries like Austria, the Czech Republic, and Hungary are staunch allies of Israel. An EU diplomat told the news agency that France, along with the Netherlands and Belgium, has proposed sanctions against 12 individuals for human rights violations related to settler violence, but there is still no consensus among member states on this issue. Israeli forces are advancing in Khan Younis. The Israeli army reported that "at least 40 Hamas militants" were killed in one day. A World Health Organization official stated that the healthcare system in Gaza is collapsing. The U.S. Secretary of State stated that Israel will not achieve "real security" without the establishment of a Palestinian state.