US Imposes Sanctions on Individuals Linked to Hamas, Facilitating Terrorist Operations

Ekhbary News Agency

Washington D.C. — The United States government on Tuesday added several individuals to its sanctions blacklist, alleging they have ties to the Hamas movement, with some residing in Europe. A statement from the U.S. Department of State indicated that "this designation is based on three categories of actors facilitating Hamas's activities." The statement specified that the targeted individuals include "organizers of the Hamas-backed flotilla seeking access to Gaza, members of pro-Hamas Muslim Brotherhood networks who facilitate violent terrorist attacks, and coordinators for "Samidoun," an organization serving as a front for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)." Among those targeted are several individuals residing in European countries such as Spain and Belgium. Mohammed Khatib, the European coordinator for the "Samidoun" network residing in Belgium, was named. Belgian authorities had announced two years ago their intention to revoke his refugee status. "Samidoun" presents itself as an international network of activists concerned with the situation of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. One of the vessels of the "Samidoun" flotilla, which was en route to Gaza and was intercepted by the Israeli Navy (AP), also had its name added to the list: Seif Abu Keshk, an activist in the Samidoun flotilla recently detained by Israeli authorities off the coast of Greece and imprisoned on suspicion of links to Hamas before being deported to Barcelona. Numerous ships have attempted to break the blockade on Gaza, devastated by the war that erupted after the October 7th attacks, which suffers from severe shortages of basic supplies. Washington, a close ally of Israel, frequently imposes sanctions on individuals and organizations suspected of supporting the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas. The U.S. State Department statement, according to "Agence France-Presse," said, "Today's action highlights how Hamas exploits community organizations, religious institutions, and alleged civil society organizations to advance its malicious agenda under the guise of humanitarian concerns." Assets of individuals and entities under U.S. sanctions are frozen in the United States, and U.S. companies are prohibited from dealing with them, under penalty of sanctions themselves.