UK to sanction Ben Gvir and Smotrich

The UK will sanction far-right Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich in response to their conduct over the war on Gaza, the Times is reporting.

In a significant break from Washington, London will join Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other nations  in imposing asset freezes and travel bans on Israel's National Security Minister Ben Gvir - a West Bank settler - and Finance Minister Smotrich.

The two have fiercely opposed the entry of international aid into Gaza and advocated for the forced expulsion of Palestinians from the territory, with Smotrich pledging last month that “Gaza will be entirely destroyed” and that Palestinians will “leave in great numbers to third countries”.

Meanwhile Ben Gvir has called for Israel to "encourage the voluntary emigration of the residents of Gaza".

The announcement comes after UK Foreign Secretery David Lammy branded Smotrich's comments regarding the forced expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza as "monstrous".

“We must call this what it is. It is extremism. It is dangerous. It is repellent. It is monstrous and I condemn it in the strongest possible terms.”