European Union reaches agreement on sanctions against Israeli settlers and Hamas

On May 11, 2026, European Union foreign ministers reached a political agreement to impose sanctions on violent Israeli settlers and officials of the Hamas organization. The sanctions package, which includes asset freezes and travel bans, targets seven extremist settlers and their associated group, as well as 12 Hamas officials and the organization itself. Previous progress on these measures was hindered by a Hungarian veto, which was reportedly lifted following a change in government in Budapest after the election of Peter Magyar. EU High Representative Kaja Kallas confirmed the agreement prior to the meeting in Brussels. Additionally, discussions are ongoing regarding trade measures concerning products originating from illegal settlements. According to Palestinian Authority data, at least 1,069 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli soldiers or settlers since the outbreak of the war in Gaza in October 2023.