Washington, DC – The US has sanctioned a “violent extremist” Israeli group for obstructing and damaging humanitarian aid shipments to Gaza amidst growing famine threats in the region.

The Biden administration targeted Tzav 9 on Friday, a group dedicated to preventing aid from entering Gaza, accusing them of plundering and burning aid trucks.

“Providing humanitarian aid is critical to averting the worsening crisis in Gaza and mitigating famine risks,” said the State Department.

“The Israeli government must ensure the safety of aid convoys moving through Israel and the West Bank to Gaza. We will not tolerate any sabotage or violence against this crucial assistance.”

The sanctions followed reports from Israeli media that Israel’s Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai claimed far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir hindered law enforcement from protecting aid convoys.

For months, right-wing Israelis have protested and blocked roads to prevent aid shipments from reaching Gaza, which is under an intense blockade. These actions have further impeded the flow of much-needed aid.

In recent weeks, protesters have intensified attacks on aid convoys, especially in the occupied West Bank, setting two aid trucks ablaze in the Hebron Hills area last month—an attack the US blamed on Tzav 9.

The sanctions freeze the group's assets in the US and primarily prevent American citizens from conducting transactions with them. The sanctions stem from an executive order (EO) by President Biden that sets penalties against those “undermining peace, security, and stability” in the West Bank.

Last week, the Biden administration used the same EO to sanction the Lion’s Den, a Palestinian armed group.

Nevertheless, Washington has been hesitant to penalize Israeli officials responsible for abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank, including Ben-Gvir and right-wing Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

US Senator Chris Van Hollen recently called for Smotrich to be sanctioned under the executive order.

“In my view, Smotrich should be subjected to these sanctions,” said Van Hollen.

Earlier this year, Smotrich withheld taxes owed to the Palestinian Authority and declared 800 hectares in the West Bank as Israeli state land.

“This individual aims to have Israel take over the entire West Bank,” Van Hollen said during a discussion at the Center for American Progress.

Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) supported the sanctions against Tzav 9 and urged Biden to target entities and individuals financing the group.

“Recent revelations that Ben-Gvir instructed police to let Tzav 9 block aid convoys highlight how this starvation strategy involves young activists and high-level officials,” said Michael Schaeffer Omer-Man from DAWN.

“The US should not ignore Israeli governmental involvement in these crimes and should sanction Ben-Gvir next.”

Advocates also pushed for the US to pressure Israel into lifting the Gaza blockade.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken acknowledged that Israel has taken “important steps” to remove obstacles to Gaza aid but emphasized that more needs to be done.

“It is crucial to speed up truck inspections, reduce backlogs, provide clarity on prohibited goods, increase aid worker visas, and expedite their processing,” Blinken said at a recent Gaza aid conference in Jordan.

Blinken also called for “clearer, more effective channels” to protect humanitarian workers from military operations.