Several Western countries have announced sanctions on two far-right Israeli cabinet ministers, marking a significant shift in their approach towards Israel amidst the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand, and Norway have collectively imposed sanctions that will limit the travel rights and freeze the financial assets of Israeli security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and finance minister Bezalel Smotrich.

Both Mr. Ben-Gvir and Mr. Smotrich are known for their hard-line stance within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet, advocating for the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza. Their actions have been criticized by British foreign secretary David Lammy as 'monstrous.'

In a joint statement, Mr. Lammy and the foreign ministers of the other four countries expressed concerns about the extremist violence and human rights abuses incited by the two Israeli ministers. The sanctions were imposed as a measure to hold them accountable for their actions.