OFAC Sanctions Hamas Financier and Two France-Based Sham Charity Operators

OFAC imposed blocking sanctions on three individuals (one in Gaza, two in France) and two entities (both in France) under its Counter Terrorism sanctions program (E.O. 13224, as amended by E.O. 13886) for financing Hamas. The individuals are a Gaza-based deputy battalion commander in Hamas's Al-Qassam Brigades who oversees a network using money services businesses and cryptocurrency wallets to fund the group, and two France-based fundraisers who ran purported humanitarian charities. The two entities are charities, each controlled by one of the French fundraisers. The network collected more than $2 million for Hamas between 2020 and 2026, including $1.5 million after 7 October 2023, partly in cryptocurrency sent directly to the Gaza-based member for onward transfer.