The United States has announced a new round of sanctions targeting individuals and organisations accused of supporting Hamas through international political, financial, and activist networks.
The measures, unveiled by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), focus on organisers of a pro-Gaza flotilla linked to Hamas, operatives connected to the Muslim Brotherhood, and members of the group Samidoun, which Washington considers a front organisation for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).
According to the U.S. Treasury, Hamas continues to rely on a broad international infrastructure to maintain political influence, finance militant activity, and obstruct diplomatic efforts aimed at stabilising Gaza.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described the flotilla initiative as “a ludicrous attempt” to undermine ongoing American efforts towards regional peace, adding that the United States would continue dismantling Hamas’ financial and logistical support systems worldwide.
The sanctions specifically target four individuals associated with the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA) and Samidoun. U.S. authorities argue that both organisations operate on behalf of sanctioned Palestinian groups despite presenting themselves publicly as humanitarian or diaspora advocacy initiatives.
Among those designated is Saif Hashim Kamel Abukishek, identified as a member of the PCPA’s General Secretariat and part of the steering committee behind the flotilla attempting to reach Gaza. Also sanctioned is Hisham Abdallah Sulayman Abu Mahfuz, who currently leads the organisation.
The United States additionally imposed sanctions on Mohammed Khatib and Jaldia Abubakra Aueda, accusing them of serving as senior officials within Samidoun’s European network.
Washington argues that flotillas and aid initiatives linked to designated groups present serious compliance risks for financial institutions and charitable organisations operating in conflict zones. Treasury officials nevertheless stressed that legitimate humanitarian assistance to Gaza remains permissible under existing regulatory frameworks.
The Treasury statement also highlighted what it described as the growing influence of Hamas-aligned Muslim Brotherhood structures within Gaza and abroad.
The U.S. designated the Palestinian Scholars Association and its leader, Marwan Abu Ras, alleging that the organisation acts on behalf of Hamas by coordinating religious discourse in line with the group’s ideology. Treasury officials further claimed that former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar personally oversaw aspects of Abu Ras’s activities.
In Egypt, the sanctions also targeted figures allegedly tied to HASM, an armed offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood designated by the United States as a terrorist organisation. OFAC identified Karim Sayed Ahmed Moghny as a key Hamas operative involved in militant training, covert operations, and cooperation with HASM networks between 2021 and 2025.
Another sanctioned individual, Muhammad Jamal Hassan al-Najjar, was accused of assisting Hamas with weapons procurement and financial support operations. The Treasury also designated Sherif Ahmed Ewis Ahmed for allegedly acting on behalf of HASM.
The measures form part of Washington’s broader campaign to isolate Hamas financially and diplomatically following years of regional instability and conflict surrounding Gaza. The U.S. government maintains that Hamas exploits diaspora groups, religious institutions, and civil society organisations to conceal political and militant activities under humanitarian rhetoric.
Under the sanctions, all assets belonging to the designated individuals and entities within U.S. jurisdiction are frozen, while American individuals and companies are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. Foreign financial institutions facilitating significant transactions for sanctioned persons could also face secondary sanctions.
In a parallel statement, State Department spokesperson Thomas ‘Tommy’ Pigott said the United States would continue using “all available tools” to target networks that support terrorism and obstruct efforts towards a peaceful resolution in the Middle East.
