The United States has imposed sanctions on a handful of extremist Jewish settlers over violence against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank, in a rare step against Israelis as fighting rages with Hamas, AFP reports.

President Joe Biden was also issuing an executive order laying out the groundwork for actions over attacks and “acts of terrorism” in the West Bank, where settlers have rampaged against Palestinians amid the separate military campaign in the Gaza Strip.

The United States will announce initial sanctions against four people. Any assets they hold in the United States will be blocked, with Americans forbidden from financial transactions with them.

The action marks the first financial sanctions against settlers although the Biden administration earlier announced that it would refuse visas for extremists involved in violence.