US issues sanctions against Hamas financing network, Treasury says

The ​United States ​issued additional sanctions on ‌Friday targeting ​Hamas' financial network, including targeting a member ‌of the Palestinian militant group's military wing, two France-based fundraisers and two entities, the Treasury ‌Department said. "These designations expose a sophisticated, ‌multi-year financing architecture that moved more than $2 million to Hamas through deceptive charitable fronts and cryptocurrency ⁠channels, demonstrating ​the ⁠organization’s persistent ability to adapt its fundraising mechanisms ⁠to evade detection," Treasury said in a statement.

The ​Hamas member, Saleem Abdallah Saleem al-Zaq, ⁠is a battalion deputy in the Hamas military ⁠wing ​based in Gaza, Treasury said. He oversees a financial network that ⁠has used various money services businesses and cryptocurrency ⁠wallets ⁠to transfer significant funds to the Hamas Al-Qassam Brigades, it added.