The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed a second round of sanctions on investment entities believed to be funding the terrorist organization Hamas.
The sanctions, announced Friday in a press release, targeted assets in Hamas’s investment portfolio, as well as supporters in the highest levels of Iran’s military. The actions built on a previous set of sanctions levied against Hamas- and Iranian-related investment entities announced by OFAC on Oct. 18.
Hamas militants killed more than 1,400 Israelis and abducted 200 more in a series of surprise attacks on Oct. 7. Since then, the United States has expressed its support for Israel and provided it with munitions and logistical support.
“Today’s action underscores the United States’ commitment to dismantling Hamas’s funding networks by deploying our counterterrorism sanctions authorities and working with our global partners to deny Hamas the ability to exploit the international financial system,” said Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo in the release. “We will not hesitate to take action to further degrade Hamas’s ability to commit horrific terrorist attacks by relentlessly targeting its financial activities and streams of funding.”
OFAC designated investment entities connected to Abdelbasit Hamza Elhassan Mohamed Khair, who himself was sanctioned last week.
Sanctions were also laid on three Turkey-based individuals—Alaeddin Senguler, Gulsah Yigidoglu, and Arwa Mangoush—who are believed to be active in the Turkey-based investment company Trend GYO, which was subjected to U.S. sanctions in May 2022.
OFAC also imposed sanctions on Khaled Qaddoumi, Hamas’ representative to Iran; members of the Islamic Republican Guard in Iran who provide military training to Hamas; and a charity that allegedly provides support to families affiliated with Hamas’ terrorism activities.
On Oct. 20, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued an alert warning financial institutions about funding streams for Hamas that support its attacks against Israel. FinCEN also recently proposed a rule that would classify convertible virtual currency mixing as a primary money laundering concern because of its malicious use by terrorist groups, including Hamas.
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