The United States has called upon Gulf Arab states to intensify efforts to combat the suspected surge in fundraising by the militant group, Hamas.
A scheduled meeting of the Riyadh-based Terrorist Financing Targeting Center was expedited to address the matter.
The center, which was established in 2017 and includes the US, Saudi Arabia, and five other Gulf Arab states, convened to strategize on measures to counter Hamas’s financial activities.
US Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian Nelson, stressed the need for Gulf Cooperation Council member states to share critical intelligence. The goal is to impose sanctions against individuals and entities involved in supporting Hamas, preventing the group from capitalizing on its recent actions to accumulate donations and other funds.
Nelson assured that legitimate humanitarian aid to Gaza, such as food, water, and medicine, would remain unaffected by any new sanctions.
The Biden administration is requesting Gulf allies to closely scrutinize previously sanctioned Hamas-linked charities and entities in their jurisdictions, along with any suspicious activities of newly established ones.
The US is particularly concerned about Hamas’s exploitation of connections to charities, shell companies, and financial institutions in the region. Sanctions have already been imposed on key Hamas members and associates in several countries.
Discussions with Gulf countries also addressed the vulnerability of their banking institutions to secondary sanctions if they are involved in Hamas money transfers.
Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by both the European Union and the United States, making this a complex issue for Arab states, given the sentiments of their populations.
Furthermore, the US and its allies are closely monitoring the use of cryptocurrencies by Hamas to solicit financial support, with efforts underway to safeguard the financial system against exploitation of new technologies.
This call for unified action underscores the international community’s resolve to combat terrorism and disrupt funding sources that fuel instability in the region.