In a unanimous decision, the European Union has agreed to impose new sanctions targeting both the leadership of Hamas and extremist organizations within the Israeli settler movement.

While the official list is still being finalized, reports indicate it will include key Israeli settler organizations (such as Amana, Nachala, and Regavim) and their leaders, alongside Hamas officials responsible for the October massacre.

The move is driven by international outrage over the devastation in Gaza and escalating violence in the occupied West Bank, where deadly attacks by settlers on Palestinians have reached record highs this year.

This unanimous agreement was made possible by the recent electoral defeat of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Orbán, a staunch ally of the Israeli government, had previously vetoed similar attempts to sanction West Bank settlers.

The targeted groups and the Israeli government dismissed the sanctions. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called them “arbitrary and political,” while settler leader Daniella Weiss labeled the move “ridiculous.” The settler group Regavim even referred to the sanctions as a “badge of honor.”

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated it is time to deliver consequences for extremism. However, human rights advocates and political analysts argue that while this is a step in the right direction, targeting a few individuals ignores the broader systemic issues of the occupation.

Despite growing pressure from member states like Spain, Ireland, and the Netherlands, the 27-nation bloc failed to agree on stronger economic measures. Proposals to ban products originating from West Bank settlements or to suspend key trade agreements with Israel did not pass, though some European nations have indicated they may pursue individual bans if the EU continues to stall.