Treasury sanctions alleged network said to have funneled more than $2 million to Hamas
Among those sanctioned are three individuals and two organizations based in France. The Department of Justice also confirmed three arrests on French soil linked to the case.
Department of the Treasury
Washington imposed sanctions on Friday against three individuals and two charitable organizations based in France accused of being part of a network that allegedly transferred more than two million dollars to Hamas between 2020 and 2026, AFP reported.
The Treasury Department stated that the network used organizations posing as humanitarian entities and cryptocurrency channels to raise and transfer money to the Palestinian Islamist group. Of the more than two million dollars identified, approximately 1.5 million were raised after Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Among those sanctioned is Saleem Abdallah Saleem al-Zaq, identified by the Treasury as a member of Hamas's military wing and responsible for overseeing part of the financial network. Faouzi Barika and Amel Oualid were also designated, along with the organizations Association Baraka and Ensemble C Mieux, both based in France.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Justice reported that French authorities arrested Barika, Oualid and Nordine Barika in a coordinated operation with France's General Directorate for Internal Security. Washington also announced charges and arrests in the United States against other individuals allegedly linked to the same financing network.
According to the Justice Department, Al-Zaq had allegedly been operating an international fundraising network that solicited donations under the guise of humanitarian aid for Gaza since at least 2020, while allegedly diverting funds to Hamas.
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