Josep Borrell, the EU's foreign policy chief, called on Monday for sanctions against the Israeli ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir due to their call for cutting off food and fuel to civilians in the Gaza Strip and their displacement.

Borrell said in a post on the "X" platform (formerly Twitter): "While the world pressures for a ceasefire in Gaza, Ben Gvir calls for cutting fuel and aid to civilians," according to the "Al Jazeera" news network.

He added: "As is the case with the wicked statements of Israeli Finance Minister Smotrich, this constitutes incitement to commit war crimes, and sanctions must be at the top of the EU's agenda."

He also urged the Israeli government "to unequivocally distance itself from these incitements to commit war crimes," adding: "I urge it to engage in good faith in negotiations facilitated by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States for an immediate ceasefire."

Smotrich had previously stated that preventing humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip is "justified and ethical," considering that if there were a settlement in Gaza, the attack on October 7 would not have occurred.

Smotrich added at a conference in the settlement of Yaad Benjamin, in central Israel: "We bring aid to the sector because there is no other option," noting that "in the current global reality, we cannot conduct the war. No one will allow us to cause the death of two million civilians by starvation, even if justified and ethical to secure the release of our hostages."