In a significant move targeting Hamas’s financial infrastructure, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on six Palestinian humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza on Wednesday. The designated entities—Waed Society, Al-Nur, Qawafil, Al-Falah, Merciful Hands, and Al-Salameh—stand accused of functioning as a clandestine support network for Hamas’s military wing, the Qassam Brigades.
The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) revealed that Hamas’s internal security personnel have been formally assigned to operate within several of these organizations, particularly Waed Society and Al-Salameh. According to official statements, Merciful Hands, Al-Nur, and Al-Falah have allegedly directed funds directly to Hamas’s military operations, while Qawafil has purportedly completed projects specifically designed to benefit the organization.
Despite their public-facing activities—which include medical support for war wounds, distribution of food and medicine, community support sessions, and advocacy for Palestinian prisoners—these groups allegedly serve as fronts for Hamas’s financial operations. The Treasury also sanctioned The Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA), identifying it as a coordination body for flotilla attempts to break the Israeli siege on Gaza, along with its UK-based founder Zaher Khaled Hassan Birawi.
Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K Hurley emphasized that the Trump administration would not tolerate Hamas’s exploitation of financial systems to fund terrorist operations. The designations immediately freeze all U.S. assets belonging to these entities and prohibit any transactions through American banking systems, effectively rendering credit cards like Visa and Mastercard unusable for these organizations.
The Treasury statement clarified that the sanctions specifically target Hamas’s operational strategy rather than legitimate political advocacy, noting that members of the Palestinian diaspora retain the right to gather and advocate for their political concerns. This action represents the latest development in the ongoing U.S. campaign to disrupt Hamas’s financial networks while maintaining distinction between legitimate humanitarian work and terrorist financing operations.