The Netherlands has officially banned two far-right Israeli ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, in response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, as announced by Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp.

This decision makes the Netherlands the second EU country, following Slovenia, to impose such a ban, joining other nations like the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Norway, which had previously enacted similar measures.

The ban follows a national security report from the Dutch counterterrorism agency, which identified Israel as a foreign security threat due to alleged attempts to influence political discourse in the Netherlands.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog criticized the Netherlands' actions, labeling them a 'HUGE mistake' and accusing the government of neglecting Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

On the same day as the ban, EU leaders gathered in Brussels to discuss a unified response to the situation, which could include a suspension of trade agreements with Israel.

The Netherlands has indicated that it may suspend the commercial part of its association agreement with Israel if the latter fails to meet its humanitarian obligations, describing the current situation as 'intolerable and indefensible'.

In addition to the ban, the Netherlands has committed over $5 million in humanitarian aid to Gaza, which will be distributed through organizations like the Red Cross and the U.N.

The ongoing conflict has resulted in significant casualties, with Gaza's Health Ministry reporting nearly 60,000 deaths, including over 17,000 children, as of late July.

The decision to ban the ministers was made after an emergency meeting of the Dutch government, which also discussed further European measures against Israel amid a review of the EU's aid agreement.

Veldkamp's announcement was made in a letter to lawmakers on July 29, 2025, highlighting the urgency of the situation.

Ben-Gvir and Smotrich are influential figures in Prime Minister Netanyahu's coalition, known for their hard-line support of Israeli settlements and military actions in Gaza.