On 18th October (Wednesday), the United States announced sanctions against a group of 10 Hamas-linked entities and financial networks across Gaza, Sudan, Turkey, Algeria, and Qatar. The sanctions are aimed at disrupting the funding of the Palestinian Islamist terror outfit, Hamas.
US announces sanctions against a group of 10 Hamas members and its financial network in response to its Israel attack, reports AP
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 18, 2023
As per the official press release of the US Treasury, this action targets six individuals managing assets in a secret Hamas investment portfolio, a Qatar-based financial facilitator with close ties to the Iranian regime, two members of the terror outfit including a key Hamas commander, and a Gaza-based virtual currency exchange and its operator.
In its official statement, the U.S. Department of Treasury said, “The sanctions, imposed under a terrorism-related executive order, targeted nine individuals and one entity based in Gaza and elsewhere including Sudan, Turkey, Algeria, and Qatar.”
Regarding sanctioning Hamas, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said, “The United States is taking swift and decisive action to target Hamas’s financiers and facilitators following its brutal and unconscionable massacre of Israeli civilians, including children.”
She asserted that the U.S. Treasury has a long history of effectively disrupting terror finance and we will not hesitate to use our tools against Hamas. She added, “We will continue to take all steps necessary to deny Hamas terrorists the ability to raise and use funds to carry out atrocities and terrorise the people of Israel.”
As per the US Treasury Press release, the six Hamas operatives are part of Hamas’s investment network in Turkey and Algeria. The sanctioned operatives include –
- Musa Muhammad Salim Dudin (Dudin). West Bank-based Dudin manages Hamas’s Political Bureau and Investment Office and is responsible for negotiations to free Hamas members in prison.
- Abdelbasit Hamza Elhassan Mohamed Khair (Hamza) is a Sudan-based Hamas financier. He has managed numerous companies in Hamas’s investment portfolio. Previously, he was involved in the transfer of almost $20 million to Hamas. He has facilitated funds for Hamas through a network of large companies in Sudan.
- Amer Kamal Sharif Alshawa (Alshawa) – He is based in Turkey and is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Trend GYO. He has served as a board member on several Hamas investment portfolio companies.
- Ahmed Sadu Jahleb (Jahleb) – Jahleb is also based in Turkey and serves as the Hamas investment portfolio secretary. He coordinates various activities for Hamas-controlled companies and Hamas officials.
- Aiman Ahmad Al-Duwaik (al-Duwaik) – Algeria-based al-Duwaik is a senior Hamas investment portfolio manager.
- Walid Mohammed Mustafa Jadallah (Jadallah) – Turkey-based Jadallah, also serves on the boards of several investment portfolio companies along with al-Duwaik.
Two Hamas operatives sanctioned are –
- Muhammad Ahmad ‘Abd Al-Dayim Nasrallah (Nasrallah), is a longtime Hamas operative who is based in Qatar. He has close ties with Iranian elements. As per the press release, he recently was involved in the transfer of tens of millions of dollars to Hamas, including Hamas’s military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassim Brigades.
- Ayman Nofal (Nofal) was a member of the Izz al-Din al-Qassim Brigades. He was reportedly killed in an airstrike on Tuesday (17th October).
Two entities that were fundraising through virtual currency for Hamas have also been sanctioned. This includes a Gaza-based business Buy Cash Money and Money Transfer Company (Buy Cash). It provides money transfer and virtual currency exchange services, including Bitcoin. Buy Cash has been sanctioned “for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Hamas.”
While Ahmed M. M. Alaqad (Alaqad), who is based in Gaza, has acted as Buy Cash’s representative and owner of the Buy Cash financial exchange. As per the executive order, he has also been sanctioned.
The sanctions have been announced in the wake of the attack on a Gaza hospital. Presenting aerial pictures, radar, and telephonic conversation between two Hamas terrorists, Israel revealed that the attack took place after a Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s rocket misfired and struck the hospital’s parking lot killing several civilians.
The sanctions have been announced right after U.S. President Joe Biden met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit to terror-struck Israel. During the meeting, Biden asserted that it was the other side (PIJ) that had hit the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza which was followed by the announcement of sanctions against Hamas-linked entities.
