France, Germany, Italy push for EU sanctions against Hamas leaders

In a letter to the European Union Foreign Affairs chief Josep Borrell, the foreign ministers of the three countries stress they would like to see more Hamas leaders sanctioned.

Rina Bassist
Rina Bassist
Dec 11, 2023
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, Ghana's Foreign Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, British Secretary for Foreign Affairs James Cleverly, the Deputy Chairperson for the African Union Commission Monique Nsanzabaganwa, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Kenya's Foreign
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, Ghana's Foreign Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, British Secretary for Foreign Affairs James Cleverly, the Deputy Chairperson for the African Union Commission Monique Nsanzabaganwa, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Kenya's Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua attend a working session at a G7 Foreign Ministers Meeting at city hall, Muenster, Germany, Nov. 4, 2022. — Andreas Rentz/Getty Images

PARIS — The French, German and Italian foreign ministers called on the European Union on Monday to quickly adopt more sanctions against Hamas for its “atrocious and indiscriminate terror attacks” against Israel on Oct. 7. The three states are specifically pushing for additional individual sanctions against Hamas leaders. The issue is expected to be discussed at length during the monthly meeting Monday of the European foreign ministers. 

It is important for the EU to take “all necessary measures against the terrorist group Hamas and its supporters,” said a letter sent by the three foreign ministers to the EU Foreign Affairs chief Josep Borrell. “The swift adoption of this sanctions regime will allow us to send a strong political message about the European Union’s commitment against Hamas and our solidarity with Israel,” the letter added.  

Addressing reporters upon her arrival to Brussels for the monthly Foreign Affairs Council, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said Monday morning that the three countries proposed "a new sanctions regime" targeting Hamas, which already proscribed the militant group as a terrorist organization. 

"We must go much further, to enable more individual sanctions," she added.

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