US, and UK sanction entities over Hamas fundraising

Shafaq News/ The United States and Britain have imposed sanctions on a fundraising network aligned with the Palestinian group Hamas following an attack on Israel last October, the US Treasury Department announced Wednesday.

The sanctions target two individuals and three entities identified as key financial facilitators involved in fundraising for Hamas, designated as a terrorist group by both countries.

Treasury Under Secretary Brian Nelson stated in a press release, "Treasury remains committed to degrading Hamas' ability to finance its terrorist activities, including through online fundraising campaigns that seek to funnel money directly to the group."

The statement highlighted a collaborative effort with the United Kingdom's Office of Foreign Sanctions Implementation, which is implementing similar sanctions on these targets.

Among the entities targeted is Gaza Now, identified by the Treasury as initiating online fundraising activities after the Hamas attack.

The Treasury Department said that Gaza Now, whose popular Telegram channel has more than 1.8 million followers, and its founder, Mustafa Ayash, started fundraising for Hamas after its unprecedented attack on October 7.

The Treasury Department accused the group of "having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Hamas."

Since the October incident, this marks the fourth coordinated sanctions action by the US and Britain related to Hamas fundraising.

The Hamas-ruled Gaza health ministry reported that over 32,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's offensive in Gaza.