By Al-Fassel | 2024-01-04

The United States recently blacklisted eight leaders of Hamas, accusing them of perpetuating the group's violent agenda by representing the interests of the terrorist group abroad and managing its finances.

The sanctions, announced December 13, were the fourth round imposed on Hamas since it attacked Israel on October 7, killing some 1,200 and kidnapping 240 others, many of whom remain in captivity.

The US Treasury said it closely coordinated with the United Kingdom to concurrently designate several key Hamas officials.

"Hamas continues to rely heavily on networks of well-placed officials and affiliates, exploiting seemingly permissive jurisdictions to direct fundraising campaigns for the group's benefit and funneling those illicit proceeds to support its military activities in Gaza," said US Treasury official Brian E. Nelson.

"We remain focused, as do our allies and partners, on leveraging our collective tools and authorities to degrade Hamas's ability to fund additional attacks and further destabilize the region," he said.

This action builds on joint designations with the United Kingdom on November 14, targeting Hamas leaders and financiers, and previous US actions taken October 27 and October 18 targeting Hamas-linked individuals and companies.

The United States in May 2022 designated officials and companies involved in Hamas's secret international investment portfolio.

Recent UK sanctions also targeted a leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and figures in the financial network that backs Hamas, including its members in Lebanon and Algeria.

UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said Hamas has no place in the future of Gaza, adding that the "sanctions on Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad will continue to cut off their access to funding and isolate them further."

Designated individuals

Ismail Barhum, blacklisted December 13, is a member of the Gaza strip political bureau who has worked with Hamas finance minister Zaher Jabarin to aggregate money from global fundraising into the group's accounts, according to the Treasury.

Jabarin is also under US sanctions.

Türkiye-based Haroun Nasser al-Din is the director of Hamas's Jerusalem office and, working in coordination with Zaher Jabarin, is one of the group's key financial operatives in Türkiye.

Nasser al-Din has also been involved in a network that transferred funds from Türkiye and Gaza to the Hamas command center in Hebron, West Bank.

He worked with US-designated Hamas political bureau deputy chief Saleh al-Aruri to provide financial support to Hamas activities. Al-Aruri was killed in a strike on a southern Beirut suburb on Tuesday (January 2).

Lebanon-based Ali Baraka runs Hamas's national relations abroad. He previously was Hamas's representative to Lebanon, where he met with international diplomats on behalf of Hamas and spoke in support of violent campaigns.

Baraka has said in the past that "Hamas has long drawn on money and training from Iran and Iranian proxies like Hizbullah while bolstering forces in Gaza," according to the Treasury.

He was previously allegedly arrested by Lebanese authorities with hundreds of thousands of dollars in his possession, which were intended to be smuggled into Gaza.

Jihad Yaghmour is Hamas's official representative to Türkiye. He has organized and attended delegations with senior Hamas leaders, and is also involved in handling covert terrorist activities for the group, the Treasury said.

Yaghmour is involved in seemingly legitimate cultural activities in Türkiye, which serve as a cover for his activities in support of Hamas.

Maher Obeid, a Lebanon-based senior Hamas political leader, was reported to be the militant commander of Hamas in the West Bank, responsible for directing attacks in Gaza.

Gaza-based Nizar Awadallah is a Hamas board member and part of the group's political bureau, which he joined in 2009.

Hassan al-Wardian is a senior Hamas official and a key figure in Bethlehem representing Hamas. He was selected by US-designated Hamas political bureau member Musa Muhammad Salim Dudin for a leadership role within Hamas's organization in the West Bank.

Al-Wardian has been arrested and served time in prison in Israel as a result of his activities with Hamas.

Türkiye-based Mehmet Kaya has been involved in multiple money transfers on behalf of Hamas over several years, ultimately providing tens of millions of dollars of financial services for Hamas.