LONDON, May 3, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Britain on Friday announced sanctions on four Israeli "extremist settlers" and two groups over violence in the West Bank.

The sanctions follow what the foreign ministry in London called an "unprecedented rise" in settler violence over the past year.

As the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip continues, Britain said the measures targeted four individuals "responsible for perpetrating human rights abuses" against Palestinian communities in the West Bank.

The new curbs, which follow an earlier package in February, include UK asset freezes and travel and visa bans.

"Extremist settlers are undermining security and stability and threatening prospects for peace," said Foreign Secretary David Cameron.

"This latest package of sanctions targets two groups leading these attacks and four individuals who are directly responsible for egregious violence against Palestinian civilians," he added.

The four individuals were named as Noam Federman, a "radical settler activist", and Neria Ben Pazi who they said was responsible for "illegally constructing three illegal outposts" since 2023.

Federman's son Ely Federman was among four people the UK sanctioned in February.

Also named was Eden Levi, who the ministry accused of taking part in "assaults and intimidation of Palestinians as part of a wider intimidation campaign to drive their population out of the area".

The fourth individual was Elisha Yered, accused of "inciting religious hatred and violence".

Neria Ben Pazi and Elisha Yered were also sanctioned by the European Union last month, and the US has previously announced its own sanctions.

The two groups named were Hilltop Youth and Lehava which the EU also placed on its blacklist.

Israel has occupied the West Bank, home to three million Palestinians, since 1967 and around 490,000 Israeli settlers live there in communities considered illegal under international law.

The war in Gaza started after Hamas's October 7 attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 34,622 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the besieged Hamas-run enclave.

At least 491 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers across the West Bank since October 7, according to Palestinian officials.