The Japanese government says it will impose sanctions against four Jewish settlers for involvement in violence against residents in the West Bank.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says violence against Palestinians by Jewish settlers has been ongoing since the conflict between Israel and Hamas began in the Gaza Strip in October.

The government says such acts are extremely inhumane and cannot be allowed. It approved sanctions including freezing the assets of four settlers from Israel in a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

The United States and Britain have taken similar measures. The sanctions are the first by Japan.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa says Japan's position is that Israeli settlements in the West Bank violate international law and harm the realization of a two-state solution.

Speaking to reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Hayashi noted that violence by settlers has been rising sharply. He said Japan will seek the complete halt of settlements while working with the international community to fully implement the sanctions.