THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The Netherlands has banned two far-right Israeli ministers from entering the country and the European Union has proposed suspending Israel from a lucrative tech investment program as frustration mounts over worsening conditions in Gaza.

Several EU countries are pushing Brussels to move forward with concrete actions against Israel over the war in Gaza for failing to improve the dire humanitarian situation, diplomats said Thursday.But several diplomats said that a group of countries had demanded the EU move ahead with a list of options to punish Israel over Gaza to keep up pressure.

Details of the deal remain unclear, but EU officials have rejected any cooperation with the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Fund over ethical and safety concerns. Opening more border crossings and allowing more aid trucks into Gaza is the priority, but officials say eventually they’d like to set up a monitoring station at Kerem Shalom crossing.

Israel could threaten to annex parts of Gaza to increase pressure on the militant group Hamas, an Israeli minister said on Wednesday, an idea that would deal a blow to Palestinian hopes of statehood on land Israeli now occupies.

The European Union is seeking updates from Israel on implementation of a new deal to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, the bloc's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Tuesday.

Bezalel Smotrich described Gaza as an ‘inseparable part’ of Israel, even as the Netherlands announced a ban on him and another hard line Israeli minister.

The Netherlands will ban two far-right Israeli ministers from entering the country, declaring them “persona non grata,” in response to the rapidly deteriorating situation in Gaza. The