United States Imposes Sanctions on Network of Associations Linked to Hamas

Washington – Said Arikat – 12/3/2026

In a new step within its policy aimed at "drying up the funding sources of groups it designates as terrorist," the United States announced sanctions on four charitable organizations it said operate as a front for financing the Hamas movement, specifically its military wing known as "Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades," according to a statement issued by the US State Department on Thursday. The US administration states that these organizations use humanitarian work as a cover to collect funds and transfer them to military activities in the Gaza Strip.

According to the official statement, a copy of which was received by Al-Quds newspaper, these measures come within the framework of US efforts to disrupt the funding channels on which the movement relies, and to expose what Washington described as "the exploitation of civil and charitable organizations" in supporting military activities. The US administration believes that these financial networks constitute one of the main pillars that allow Hamas to maintain its organizational and military capabilities inside and outside Gaza.

Washington affirmed that the sanctions target an "illicit financing network" and aim to cut off financial flows that could be used to support the movement's military operations. It also stressed that these measures fall within a broader strategy to combat terrorism financing, including monitoring financial institutions and associations suspected of involvement in transferring funds to armed groups.

According to the statement, "the US administration simultaneously affirms that it does not target humanitarian work per se, but rather seeks to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians" through "reliable and secure" organizations, away from any political or military exploitation. Washington emphasizes that it supports international efforts aimed at improving the humanitarian conditions of Palestinians, in parallel with working towards achieving lasting peace in the region.

These sanctions are based on Executive Order 13224 on combating terrorism, which was issued in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks, and grants the US government broad powers to freeze financial assets and impose restrictions on individuals or entities suspected of supporting terrorist activities. The US State Department had previously listed the Hamas movement as a terrorist organization under this executive order on October 31, 2001.

The United States also designates the movement as a "Foreign Terrorist Organization" under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, a designation that allows for additional sanctions and makes providing any material support to the movement a crime punishable under US law.

The US Treasury Department states that the new measures come after extensive financial investigations, during which it observed what it considered a recurring pattern of using charitable institutions to collect donations and transfer them to channels linked to Hamas. It adds that the sanctions include freezing any assets that may be subject to US jurisdiction, in addition to prohibiting financial dealings with these entities.

Washington views this step as part of a broader policy aimed at tightening the noose on the movement's financial structure, not only within the Palestinian territories but also through support networks abroad.

This step reflects the continuation of the traditional US approach to dealing with the Hamas movement, which primarily focuses on financial and legal tools to undermine the movement's capabilities. Washington believes that Hamas's financial structure is no less important than its military structure, and that striking funding sources can weaken its ability to endure and organize. However, critics argue that this approach ignores the broader political context of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, as financial pressure alone has not succeeded over the past decades in ending the movement's influence or reducing its popular presence in the Gaza Strip.

The targeting of charitable organizations always sparks wide debate in humanitarian and human rights circles, because the line between humanitarian work and political work in conflict zones is often fragile. In Gaza, large segments of the population rely on charitable institutions to provide food, healthcare, and education. Therefore, some observers fear that financial restrictions and sanctions could complicate the work of legitimate humanitarian organizations, or reduce the flow of international donations, which could directly affect civilians who are already living in difficult humanitarian conditions.

Politically, these sanctions come in a broader context of regional tensions and repeated military escalation in the region. Successive US administrations have used economic sanctions as a key tool in their Middle East policies, whether towards states or armed groups. However, experience shows that sanctions, despite their ability to weaken some financial networks, are rarely sufficient alone to bring about radical political change. Therefore, some analysts believe that such measures reflect conflict management more than they reflect a comprehensive strategy for resolving it.