Kingdom of Belgium joined Australia, Canada, France and the United Kingdom to declare it will recognize the State of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly this month and impose sanctions on “Israel” over the atrocities and violations of international law being committed in Gaza.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Prevot made the announcement on Tuesday, adding that it will also impose 12 “firm sanctions” on Israel, including banning the import of products from Israeli settlements, and reviewing and amending public procurement policies with Israeli companies.

Belgium will also ban two “extremist” Israeli ministers, several “violent settlers,” and Hamas leaders from entering the country.

Prevot added that “the administrative formalization of that recognition will take place via a royal decree” only “when the last hostage has been released and Hamas no longer exercises any form of governance over Palestine.”

The Ministry urges the relevant international justice mechanisms to assume their legal and moral responsibilities towards the perpetrators of man-made famine, including by upholding international law in addressing all acts of genocide and ethnic cleansing committed against the Palestinian people.

The Ministry also called on all states that have not yet recognized the State of Palestine to urgently do so, and to intensify practical efforts to halt Israel’s crimes of genocide, forced displacement, starvation, and annexation, while opening a genuine political horizon to resolve the conflict and end the Israeli occupation of the State of Palestine.