US sanctions Italian nonprofit that funded Hamas by pretending to do charity work

"We are people like you, with dreams and longings, who have come together to fulfill our greatest yearning: to help those in need." This is how the nonprofit organization Charitable Association of Solidarity with the Palestinian People (Associazione Benefica di Solidarietà con il Popolo Palestinese, or ABSPP) describes itself. However, per the U.S. Treasury,  "those in need" refers to none other than Hamas terrorists.

On the anniversary of the Oct. 7 massacre perpetrated by "those in need," the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against the ABSPP and its founder, Mohammad Hannoun.

The case of Hannoun and his fictitious charity activism illustrates how the terrorist group is funded through fake charities around the world, deceiving both donors and authorities.

The false pretense of helping minors

The association claims to be based at Via Bolzaneto 78r in Genoa, Italy. From there, it has allegedly been providing funds to Hamas since at least 2018. The OFAC claims that in the last decade, Hannoun gave the terrorists in Gaza at least $4 million.

The version of the organization that claims to be a nonprofit is very different: "Thanks to him [Hannoun], to the volunteers and above all thanks to those of you who sponsor Palestinian orphan children, we have given a smile to those poor kids who at such a tender age have to face problems such as war, hunger and being separated from their loved ones." On its website and social media, it reinforces this idea with images of children:

The ABSPP also has an online marketplace where it claims to sell products made in developing countries. It offers pillows, sculptures, flower pots and even an imitation of the famous Eames lounge chair:

The organization claims to work with Palestinians beyond the Gaza Strip, including those in Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, the West Bank. It even supports Palestinians in Italy, it says:

"[We seek] to help the Palestinian community in Italy to solve problems and promote studies related to the Palestinian cause to raise awareness among the Italian public."

Hannoun: 'Friend of the Italian left'

Muhammad Mahoud Ahmad Awad was born in Jordan but has Italian nationality, according to Treasury Department records. He has risen to public prowess in Italy, especially since the outbreak of the war in Gaza.

Earlier this year, Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera published an article claiming that the he was behind numerous demonstrations that featured pro-Hamas chants.

"For us Palestinians the path is clear: the end of the Zionist entity with the birth of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state," he reportedly said, according to statements reported by the newspaper. In others, he allegedly assured that the Oct. 7 massacre was "an act of self-defense."

Il Giornale describes him as a "friend of the left" and assures that he has contacts with the Democratic Party and the 5 Star Movement. The European press also reported that he had been in Israel's sights, who asked Italian authorities to take action.

An extensive network of funding

The ABSPP is just one node in an extensive network in which "Hamas has exploited the suffering in Gaza to solicit funds through sham and front charities that falsely claim to help civilians in Gaza," the Treasury explains. These institutions, they argue, also seek to generate support for the terrorist group abroad, as VOZ explained in this article.

In addition to fake charities, Palestinian terrorists also use illegitimate banks, with the aim of evading international sanctions. One of them, according to OFAC, is Al-Intaj Bank, an unlicensed financial institution founded in 2013. It was also sanctioned by the government on Monday.

The Treasury Department estimates that as of early 2024, Hamas has received as much as $10 million through this channel.