Italian prosecutors announced the arrest of nine individuals suspected of raising and diverting millions of euros to the Palestinian militant group Hamas through fraudulent charitable organizations.
The operation was led by anti-terrorism and anti-mafia units in Genoa and targeted a network accused of using humanitarian aid as a cover for financing terrorism-related activities.
Investigation and Financial Seizures
Authorities seized assets exceeding $8 million during the investigation. The probe uncovered suspicious financial flows dating back before the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
The suspects were primarily connected to three charities based in Italy. These organizations allegedly collected donations intended for Palestinian civilians in Gaza but redirected more than 71 percent of the funds, approximately €7 million over the past two years, to entities affiliated with Hamas.
Use of Funds and Organizational Structure
The diverted funds reportedly supported Hamas’s military operations, including its armed wing, and provided aid to families of individuals involved in suicide bombings or detained for terrorism-related activities.
The scheme operated through a complex system headquartered in Genoa, with branches extending to Milan and involving international connections.
Among those arrested was Mohammad Hannoun, the president of the Palestinian Association in Italy, one of the implicated organizations.
Legal and International Cooperation
Prosecutors stated that the charities presented themselves as supporters of Palestinian civilians but served as fronts for channeling money to Hamas-linked associations in Israel and the Palestinian territories.
The arrests followed an extensive investigation initiated after financial irregularities were flagged. The probe involved collaboration with Dutch authorities and coordination through Eurojust, the European Union’s agency for judicial cooperation.
Italian authorities have not released additional details on the suspects’ nationalities or specific ties to Hamas, but the investigation suggests a multinational dimension.
Official Statements
Italian State Police stated, “The suspects collected donations intended for the civilian population of Gaza; however, it emerged that over 71 percent of these funds were diverted to Hamas’s coffers to finance its military wing and support the families of suicide bombers or those detained for terrorism.”
The individuals are specifically accused of carrying out financing operations believed to have contributed to terrorist activities.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the operation as “a particularly complex and important operation” that exposed financing for Hamas via “so-called charity organizations.”
Sources
Trending Politics News: Nine Arrested in Fraud Scheme Funding Hamas
