‘Sudanese financier’ cited as new US sanctions target Hamas

The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), today imposed new sanctions on what it terms “10 key Hamas terrorist group members, operatives, and financial facilitators” in Gaza and elsewhere including Sudan, Türkiye, Algeria, and Qatar. In a statement from Washington, the OFAC says that “this action targets members managing assets in a secret Hamas investment portfolio…”. One of those designated is Abdelbasit Hamza, who OFAC describes as “a Sudan-based Hamas financier”.

The US move follows the Hamas invasion of Israel last week, and most lately, a devastating blast in the courtyard of the Al Ahli hospital in Gaza yesterday evening, that is reported to have killed hundreds of people. Palestinian Hamas authorities immediately attributed the explosion to an Israeli air strike, however Israel has denied responsibility, in turn blaming the destruction on “a failed rocket launch by Islamic Jihad”.

The Sudanese Foreign Ministry has condemned the blast as “a complete crime against humanity”. US President Joe Biden, who arrived in Tel Aviv today, said he was “deeply saddened and outraged” by the explosion, however, he told Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu: “Based on what I’ve seen, it appears as though it was done by the other team, not you… but there’s a lot of people out there not sure so we have to overcome a lot of things.”

Biden told reporters that his conclusion that Israel is not responsible for the blast is based on “the data I was shown by my defence department”.

Sanctions

“The United States is taking swift and decisive action to target Hamas’s financiers and facilitators following its brutal and unconscionable massacre of Israeli civilians, including children,” said Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen.

“The US Treasury has a long history of effectively disrupting terror finance and we will not hesitate to use our tools against Hamas. We will continue to take all steps necessary to deny Hamas terrorists the ability to raise and use funds to carry out atrocities and terrorize the people of Israel. That includes by imposing sanctions and coordinating with allies and partners to track, freeze, and seize any Hamas-related assets in their jurisdictions.”

OFAC says that today’s designations are “part of a continuous effort by the United States to root out Hamas’s sources of revenue in the West Bank and Gaza and across the region and is taken in close coordination with regional partners and allies.

“Today, OFAC is designating six individuals associated with Hamas’s secret investment portfolio, two senior Hamas officials, and a Gaza-based virtual currency exchange and its operator.”

Those listed include Abdelbasit Hamza Elhassan Mohamed Khair (Hamza), who OFAC describes as “a Sudan-based Hamas financier who has managed numerous companies in Hamas’s investment portfolio and was previously involved in the transfer of almost $20 million to Hamas… Hamza has facilitated funds for Hamas through a network of large companies in Sudan… Hamza also has longstanding ties to terrorism financing, including historic ties to al-Qa’ida and Usama bin Laden-linked companies in Sudan”.

Hamza himself has not commented on the OFAC statement.

Implications

OFAC says that 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 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by US persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons.

“In addition, financial institutions and other persons that engage in certain transactions or activities with sanctioned entities and individuals may expose themselves to sanctions or be subject to an enforcement action. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person,” OFAC says.

Read the complete OFAC statement here