The U.S. Treasury Department said it sanctioned a Hamas-linked fundraising network that raised more than 6 between 2000000 USD and involved crypto transfers.
The U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions against a member of Hamas’s military wing, two French nationals, and two charities, accusing them of raising more than 6 for Hamas through cryptocurrency and so-called humanitarian donations during a fundraising campaign lasting 2000000 USD.
The Treasury said that Faouzi Barika and Amel Oualid raised funds in France under the guise of humanitarian causes and then transferred the funds to Hamas. The network raised more than 2020 between 2026 and 2000000 USD, of which 1500000 USD occurred after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. The two also sent hundreds of thousands of USD in cryptocurrency to Saleem Abdallah Saleem al-Zaq in Gaza, who was a deputy battalion commander of Hamas’s al-Qassam Brigades.
The sanctions freeze the relevant parties’ assets within U.S. jurisdiction. U.S. persons are generally prohibited from transacting with them, and foreign financial institutions that knowingly facilitate significant transactions may face secondary sanctions risk. The restrictions also extend to companies directly or indirectly owned 50%or more by sanctioned parties. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that terrorist organizations such as Hamas rely on complex financial intermediaries and fraudulent schemes. The action highlights U.S. attention to cryptocurrency’s role in broader fundraising networks, rather than treating it as Hamas’s primary source of funding.
Key points
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The U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions against a member of Hamas’s military wing, two French nationals, and two charities.
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The U.S. Treasury Department said the network raised more than 6 for Hamas through cryptocurrency and so-called humanitarian donations during an activity lasting 2000000 USD。
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The original text says that the network raised more than 2020 between 2026 and 2000000 USD, of which 1500000 USD occurred after October 7, 2023.
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The Treasury said that Faouzi Barika and Amel Oualid raised funds in France under the guise of humanitarian causes and then transferred the funds to Hamas.
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The original text says that the two sent hundreds of thousands of USD in cryptocurrency to Saleem Abdallah Saleem al-Zaq and identifies him as a deputy battalion commander of Hamas’s al-Qassam Brigades.
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The original text says that the sanctions will freeze the relevant parties’ assets within U.S. jurisdiction and that U.S. persons are generally prohibited from transacting with them.
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The original text says that foreign financial institutions that knowingly facilitate significant transactions may face secondary sanctions risk, and that the restrictions also cover companies directly or indirectly owned by sanctioned parties 50%or more.
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Scott Bessent said that terrorist organizations such as Hamas rely on complex financial intermediaries and fraudulent schemes.
AI-assisted interpretation
The following is analysis, separate from reported facts. Verify important claims independently.
In simple terms, the U.S. Treasury Department believes that these individuals and charities raised funds for Hamas through humanitarian donations and cryptocurrency transfers, and therefore imposed asset freezes and transaction restrictions on the relevant parties. The original text also indicates that foreign financial institutions assisting with significant transactions, as well as companies in which sanctioned parties hold 50%or more, may also be affected.
Why it matters to readers
This concerns cryptocurrency transfers, charitable fundraising, and sanctions compliance by financial institutions. Relevant institutions may need to assess whether transaction counterparties are sanctioned parties or companies they control.
Beginners should understand that cryptocurrency transactions are not exempt from sanctions rules; transactions with sanctioned parties may involve asset freezes, transaction bans, or compliance risks.
Risks and unknowns
The evidence comes from a Telegram channel’s retelling. The original text does not include a link to a U.S. Treasury Department announcement, so the sanctions list and all details cannot be verified using the available materials.
The names of the two charitable organizations and the member of Hamas’s military wing were not provided in the original text.
The original text did not provide the relevant cryptocurrency addresses, specific currencies, trading platforms, or transaction-by-transaction transfer records.
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The original text only states that foreign financial institutions may actually be subject to secondary sanctions.
Related concepts
Asset freeze
This term is not in the glossary yet. Browse related concepts in the glossary.
