US announces fresh sanctions on eight individuals with Hamas connections

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has announced that the United States is imposing fresh sanctions on eight individuals who have ties to Hamas, including those who played significant roles in "facilitating sanctions evasion by Hamas-affiliated companies".

He also said that four entities with ties to Hamas and other designated terrorist organisations are also being sanctioned.

"We are imposing sanctions on eight individuals with ties to Hamas, including those who have played key roles in facilitating sanctions evasion by Hamas-affiliated companies, as well as sanctioning four entities for their ties to Hamas & other designated terrorist organisations," posted Blinken on X.

Earlier in the day, the US imposed a fresh round of sanctions targeting key Hamas-linked officials, financial networks and Iran-based organisations that were involved in the funding of the terror group.

The US Treasury Department informed about the sanctions following the October 7 attacks on Israel by Hamas.

"Today's action targets additional assets in Hamas's investment portfolio and individuals who are facilitating sanctions evasion by Hamas-affiliated companies. Treasury is also designating a Hamas official in Iran and members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as well as a Gaza-based entity that has served as a conduit for illicit Iranian funds to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ)," the statement by Treasury Department read.

US Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo said that Washington is committed to dismantling Hamas' funding and won't hesitate to take further actions.

"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," Adeyemo said.

He added, "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."

One of the major names sanctioned by the US is Khaled Qaddoumi, who is a Jordanian national and longtime Hamas member who is the representative of Hamas to Iran, and acting as a liaison between Hamas and the Iranian government.

Qaddoumi works to maintain strong relationships with Iran by attending delegation meetings with high-ranking Iranian officials and praising Iranian support for Hamas, including its provision of weapons, the statement read.

The US has also sanctioned Turkiye-based company Trend GYO, designated in May 2022 as part of Hamas's investment portfolio, which is a key component of Hamas's global asset holdings which had previously been estimated to be worth over USD 500 million. Trend GYO currently has three primary shareholders; Turkiye-based Alaeddin Senguler, Gulsah Yigidoglu, and Arwa Mangoush.

"As a result of today's action, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of US persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 per cent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked," the department stated.

It added, "Treasury remains committed to enabling the flow of legitimate humanitarian assistance supporting the basic human needs of vulnerable populations, while continuing to deny resources to malicious actors. Accordingly, OFAC sanctions programs contain provisions for legitimate humanitarian support to vulnerable populations, including authorisations for certain humanitarian transactions in support of nongovernmental organisations' activities".