US Treasury sanctions ‘sham’ charities in Hamas and PFLP funding network
The US Treasury Department has sanctioned five individuals and as many fraudulent charities operating internationally that allegedly funnel money to Hamas’s military wing and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine under the guise of humanitarian work.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on Tuesday designated organisations in Gaza, Turkey, Algeria, the Netherlands, the West Bank and Italy that Treasury said exploit public sympathy for Palestinian causes while secretly supporting terrorist activities.
‘Today’s action underscores the importance of safeguarding the charitable sector from abuse by terrorists like Hamas and the PFLP, who continue to leverage sham charities as fronts for funding their terrorist and military operations,’ said Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender.
Among the designated entities, the Gaza-based Al Weam Charitable Society is ‘clandestinely controlled by Hamas and fully integrated into Hamas’s military wing’, according to Treasury. The organisation has employed Hamas members throughout its structure, including Chairman Muhammad Sami Muhammad Abu Marei, who Treasury said is a Hamas military operative who facilitated fundraising.
Turkey-based Filistin Vakfi actively campaigned to raise funds for Hamas following the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel, with its president Zeki Abdullah Ibrahim Ararawi overseeing fundraising campaigns supporting Hamas’s military wing, Treasury said.
Algeria’s El Baraka Association for Charitable and Humanitarian Work diverted funds intended for humanitarian causes to Hamas, with President Ahmed Brahimi ensuring that donations from unwitting contributors were redirected to the militant group rather than Palestinian civilians.
The Netherlands-based Israa Charitable Foundation is a member of the previously sanctioned Union of Good umbrella organisation that reports directly to Hamas’s military wing. Foundation representative Amin Ghazi Abu Rashed is described as a top Hamas operative in Europe responsible for raising millions of dollars through sham charities.
Treasury also designated the West Bank-based Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, which it said purports to represent Palestinian prisoners but has ‘long supported and is affiliated with the PFLP’. The organisation received coordination and funding from previously sanctioned PFLP operative Khaled Barakat.
Italy’s Associazione Benefica La Cupola d’Oro was established by Mohammad Hannoun, whom Treasury previously sanctioned in October 2024 for supporting Hamas. The charity served as a vehicle for Hannoun to continue evading sanctions while raising revenue for Hamas’s military wing.
Emails for comment to Filistin Vakfi, El Baraka and Addameer did not receive an immediate reply. The other newly designated organisations or individuals could not be reached for comment.
Treasury’s action reflects ongoing concerns about terrorist abuse of the nonprofit sector identified in Treasury’s 2024 National Terrorist Financing Risk Assessment, which highlighted sham charities as a primary terrorist financing risk.
The sanctions freeze all US-based assets of the designated individuals and entities while prohibiting Americans from conducting transactions with them. Foreign financial institutions risk secondary sanctions for knowingly facilitating significant transactions with the designated persons.
The designations represent continued US efforts to disrupt Hamas financing networks, building on previous joint actions with Australia and the United Kingdom targeting Hamas financial facilitators and leaders.
