Italian police arrest seven suspected of raising millions for Hamas

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators sits down in front of police officers during the protest on the Milan’s highway against the interception by Israeli army of the Global Sumud Flotilla, on October 3, 2025. (photo credit: STEFANO RELLANDINI/AFP via Getty Images)

#Hamas

Italian police have arrested seven individuals and issued arrest warrants for two more, all suspected of raising millions of dollars in funding for Hamas

The operation was confirmed by Italian authorities on Saturday.

Three associations that presented themselves as organizations supporting the Palestinian civilian population are also involved in the case.

According to the police, these entities functioned in practice as fronts to channel resources to the Hamas terrorist group.

In total, the nine suspects are believed to have raised approximately $8 million.

The money was destined for associations located in Gaza, the Palestinian territories, or Israel, which were allegedly controlled, owned, or linked to Hamas.

Although the donations were publicized as humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians, investigations revealed a very different reality: more than 71% of the funds raised were directly used to finance Hamas activities.

Much of this money benefited family members of terrorists involved in attacks.

Among those arrested is Mohammad Hannoun, president of the Palestinian Association in Italy.

He had already been identified by the United States Treasury Department in 2024 as a Hamas member based in Italy.

According to American authorities, Hannoun sent more than four million dollars to the group over a decade.

I would like to express my appreciation and satisfaction with this particularly complex and important operation, which led to the arrest of nine people accused of financing Hamas, through various so-called charitable organizations, with more than seven million euros. Among them, the president of the Association of Palestinians in Italy, Mohammad Mahmoud Ahmad Hannoun, described by investigators as “a member of the foreign branch of the Hamas terrorist organization” and “leader of the Italian cell of the Hamas organization.” I express my sincere thanks, both personally and on behalf of the entire Government, to all those who made this operation possible: the Genoa Public Prosecutor’s Office, the National Anti-Mafia and Anti-Terrorism Directorate, the State Police, the Guardia di Finanza, as well as the informational support provided by AISE – the Foreign Information and Security Agency.

The charitable organization he presided over, called ABSPP (Solidarity Charitable Association with the Palestinian People), was described as a sham charity: while publicly promoting humanitarian aid, it actually served to finance Hamas’s military wing.

The Italian police action reveals another chapter in the international fight against the financing of terrorist organizations, showing how seemingly humanitarian donations can be diverted to purposes far different from those announced.

Published in 12/28/2025 04h14

Portuguese version

Text adapted by AI (Grok) and translated via Google API in the English version. Images from public image libraries or credits in the caption.

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