US sanctions 'Muslim Brotherhood', 'Hamas Financial Networks'
Washington DC, July 24
The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on a senior Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood official, three individuals and three entities accused of providing financial and material support to Hamas in a move aimed at disrupting the group's global fundraising and financial infrastructure.
The US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said in a press statement the action targets networks that allegedly operated through charitable fronts, businesses and underground banking channels to raise and transfer funds for Hamas, which Washington designates as a terrorist organisation.
According to the Treasury Department, two of the sanctioned entities functioned as sham charities that collected donations purportedly for humanitarian purposes but allegedly diverted the funds to Hamas's military wing. The sanctions also target a Turkiye-based trading company and its owners for allegedly transferring hundreds of thousands of dollars for Hamas and providing underground banking services involving both fiat currency and cryptocurrencies.
Among those designated is Mahmoud al-Abyari, a UK-based senior leader of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, whom the Treasury accused of supporting fundraising efforts for organisations previously sanctioned over links to Hamas.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the administration would continue to pursue individuals and organisations that finance terrorist groups, regardless of whether they operate under the guise of charities, businesses or informal financial networks.
The Treasury said the latest sanctions build on earlier measures announced in January and March 2026 targeting Hamas's global financial facilitators, operatives and front organisations.
It added that the action was coordinated with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Under the sanctions, all property and interests in property of the designated individuals and entities that are subject to US jurisdiction are blocked, and US persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.
— ANI
Reader Comments
😮 Sham charities diverting funds to Hamas? This is exactly why India needs to strengthen our own monitoring of foreign-funded NGOs. We have already seen how some organizations use humanitarian work as a cover for funding extremist activities. The US can sanction, but the real fight is at the grassroots level—education and counter-radicalization.
I'm all for cutting off Hamas's funding, but why is the US still allied with Saudi Arabia and Qatar? Both countries have historically funded some of these same networks. The Muslim Brotherhood is definitely a problem, but the US approach seems selective. India should push for a more consistent global policy against all forms of terror funding.
This is a good move by the US, but I wish they would also target the Indian Mujahideen and such networks in South Asia. The problem is global and interconnected—these groups share funding channels. The mention of cryptocurrency and underground banking is important. India should learn from this about monitoring digital financial trails. 🔍
Honestly, these sanctions are just symbolic. The US has been putting sanctions on everyone from Russia to Iran, and it hasn't stopped anything. The real issue is why the US still funds Israel when it's committing atrocities in Gaza. The hypocrisy is stunning. India should not blindly follow the US on such matters. We have our own neighborhood to worry about.
I find it interesting that the UK-based member of the Muslim Brotherhood was sanctioned. The UK has been lax on these individuals for years. As an Indian, I think our country has a lot to offer
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.