British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the government was weighing up sanctions against far-right Israeli ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, AFP reports.

Asked in parliament if the government would sanction the pair, Starmer said: “We are looking at that because there are obviously abhorrent comments along with other really concerning activity in the West Bank.”

Smotrich has triggered international uproar by suggesting it would be justified to starve two million Gazans to free Israeli hostages in the Palestinian territory.

Earlier this week, former foreign secretary David Cameron revealed that the previous Conservative government had been “working on” sanctions against the “extreme” politicians.

Pointing to the “dire” humanitarian situation in Gaza, Starmer also called for Israel to “take all possible steps to avoid civilian casualties, to allow aid into Gaza in much greater volume”.