France has imposed sanctions against more individuals over their alleged links to the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, amid Israel’s devastating war waged on the blockaded Gaza Strip.
Media report said on Tuesday that the French measures would freeze assets belonging to Hamas Gaza chief Yahya Sinwar.
He is the latest leader from the resistance group to be added to Western sanctions list. France on Nov. 13 imposed sanctions at a national level on Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif and his deputy, Marwan Issa.
Paris is working with partners to impose sanctions on Hamas individuals and its financing network at the European Union level.
Several EU states in recent weeks have come under pressure from the US and Israel to impose new sanctions on the Palestinian resistance group. Germany, France and Italy have proposed new sanctions in a so-called non-paper (a non-official EU document).
In the three-page document, dated November 9, they write that “it is important to step up engagement to isolate Hamas internationally and delegitimize narrative of Hamas as ‘defender of the (just) Palestinian cause.’”
The document adds that “once political conditions are right,” these new measures should ideally be implemented by a broad coalition of states.
The aim is to deprive Hamas of resources, as well as target its infrastructure inside and outside Gaza and its political and public standing.
France wants the European Union to impose sanctions against top Hamas leaders following the Palestinian group’s operation al-Aqsa Storm.
France “is pushing for sanctions at the European level against senior Hamas figures, individually, because for the moment … the European Union only condemns the organization as a whole,” Laurence Boone, secretary of state for European affairs, earlier said on the sidelines of an international meeting in Madrid.
The idea would be to “specifically target certain individuals” with “mainly financial” sanctions such as an asset freeze, she added without specifying who should be targeted.
France’s proposal could be adopted by EU foreign ministers in December, Boone said. It has the backing of Germany and Italy, according to her entourage.
The United States in October imposed sanctions against 10 “key” members of Hamas based in Gaza, Sudan, Turkey, Algeria and Qatar.
Among the general public, opinion polls show most Americans and Europeans back an end to Israel’s war in the besieged enclave.
In recent weeks, senior Western officials have said they wouldn’t be drawing any red lines for Israel, which has killed thousands of Palestinian civilians during a yet-ongoing war against the Gaza Strip.
So far this year, the US and its European allies have provided Israel with at least several types of weapons. However, the type and number of weapons are not publicly known due to secrecy about the shipments.
Experts have said these Western weapons are likely being used extensively by Israeli forces against Palestinians in Gaza.
Israel is the single largest recipient of US and European foreign aid since World War II.
Two months into Israel’s genocidal onslaught on Gaza, the regime continues with its air assault and ground operation in the besieged Palestinian territory.
At least 25 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli bombings over the past few hours.
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Civilian structures including schools, hospitals and mosques have also been targeted.
Gaza health officials say the regime is now encircling Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza with tanks.
They say snipers are shooting at anyone moving in the area. In the south, the regime dropped leaflets, telling Palestinians to flee to other areas.
Residents on the ground say the intense Israeli airstrikes in the south include areas where Israel had earlier told people to seek shelter.
Israel has sent dozens of tanks into southern Gaza as the regime expands its ground offensive into the blockaded territory. Israeli military officials claim they are in pursuit of Hamas members in their Gaza operation.
Since the start of the war on October 7, nearly 16,000 Palestinians, including more than 6,000 children, were killed by Israeli aggression during the past two months. Many more are feared to be buried under the rubble.
