THE HAGUE, July 29. /TASS/. The Dutch authorities banned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from entering the country, the NOS TV channel reported, citing a letter from Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp to parliament.

The document states that Smotrich and Ben-Gvir "have repeatedly contributed to inciting violence against the Palestinian population" by consistently advocating for the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and calling for "ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip." The Netherlands also intends to enter both ministers into the Schengen Information System (SIS) database as "foreign citizens whose entry into the Schengen area is undesirable."

Additionally, the Israeli ambassador will be summoned to the Dutch Foreign Ministry to "remind the authorities of the Jewish state of the need to comply with international humanitarian law" and urge them to change their approach to the Gaza Strip.

On May 18, the Israeli government announced that the army had entered the decisive phase of Operation Gideon's Chariots, which aims to defeat Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The operation's stated goals are the final defeat of Hamas and the liberation of all Israeli hostages held in the enclave. Following the operation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the army plans to take control of the entire Gaza Strip territory.