The U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday enforced sanctions on 5 individuals and 5 entities throughout the Middle East, Africa and Europe, implicating them of being popular monetary advocates of Hamas’ military wing under the pretense of performing humanitarian operate in the Gaza Strip and worldwide.
Those approved consist of the Gaza-based charity Al Weam Charitable Society, which is implicated of being managed by Hamas, in addition to its executive director Muhammad Sami Muhammad Abu Marei.
Turkey-based charity Filistin Vakfi and its President Zeki Abdullah Ibrahim Ararawi were likewise targeted for sanctions. Charities in Algeria, the Netherlands and Italy were likewise targeted for sanctions.
The department is likewise targeting a different charity connected to the Popular Front for the Freedom of Palestine, or PFLP.
A 2024 Treasury report on terrorist funding highlights how online crowdfunding is progressively done under the guise of obtaining genuine charitable contributions, making it hard to determine as terrorist funding.
Due to the fact that most of crowdfunding activity is genuine, “this status can make it harder for police trying to examine prospective (terrorist funding) cases with a crowdfunding and online fundraising nexus,” the report stated.