It is the first time in history that the United Kingdom has imposed sanctions on two members of the Israeli cabinet since the creation of the country in 1947. The sanctions have three components. Firstly, they freeze any assets the two sanctioned individuals may have in any of the five countries. Additionally, they are banned from entering these countries. Finally, they are prohibited from serving on boards of companies and entities in those countries. Typically, individuals subject to such actions are notified in advance so they can sell or move their properties. In practical terms, it appears that the sanctions have minimal impact. However, their symbolic importance is significant.
The two sanctioned individuals have a history of statements that go beyond "inciting violence" to "ethnic cleansing," especially in Gaza. Ben-Gvir, who leads the Jewish Power party, has been convicted in Israel for promoting terrorism and is a prominent supporter of Donald Trump's idea to expel the two million people residing in the strip. Smotrich, on the other hand, has stated that "not a single grain of cereal" should enter Gaza, which would mean the starvation or abandonment of its two million inhabitants.
The joint statement from the five countries also demands that the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, which initiated the current war in 2023, immediately release the hostages they hold and insists that this group cannot have any role in Gaza's future.