Italy, France, Germany call for ad hoc EU sanctions on Hamas

Italy, France and Germany called on the European Union to impose ad hoc sanctions against Hamas and its supporters, the foreign ministers of the three nations wrote in a joint letter to the EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.

"We express our full support for the ... proposal to create an ad hoc sanctions regime against Hamas and its supporters," said the letter seen by Reuters.

"The swift adoption of this sanctions regime will enable us to send a strong political message about the European Union's commitment against Hamas and our solidarity with Israel," the letter said.

European Union foreign ministers on Monday will consider possible next steps in response to the Middle East crisis, including a crackdown on Hamas's finances and travel bans for Israeli settlers responsible for violence in the West Bank.

At a meeting in Brussels, ministers from the bloc's 27 countries will also hear from Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba as they discuss future security assistance to Kyiv.

While EU officials insist helping Ukraine repel Russia's invasion remains a top priority, the eruption of the war between Israel and Palestinian fighters group Hamas has forced the bloc to focus anew on the Middle East.

The war has exposed long-running and deep divisions on the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict among EU countries.

But the ministers will try to find common ground as they consider a discussion paper from the EU's diplomatic service that outlines a broad range of possible next steps.

Hamas is already listed by the European Union as a terrorist organisation, meaning any funds or assets that it has in the EU should be frozen.

The EU said on Friday it had added Mohammed Deif, Commander General of the military wing of Hamas, and his deputy, Marwan Issa, to its list of terrorists under sanction.

The discussion paper – seen by Reuters - suggests the EU could go further by targeting Hamas finances and disinformation.