Italian police have arrested nine people linked to three charitable organisations on suspicion of raising millions in funds for Hamas.
In a statement on Saturday, anti-terrorism prosecutors said the suspects are accused of sending about 7 million euros (£6.1 million) to “associations based in Gaza, the Palestinian territories, or Israel, owned, controlled, or linked to Hamas”.
Italian prosecutors, who collaborated with other EU countries, say the illegal funds were delivered through “triangulation operations” via bank transfers or through organisations based abroad to associations based in Gaza.
They say these associations have been declared illegal by Israel due to their ties to Hamas, which has been designated as a terror group by both the European Union and the UK.
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Nine people linked to three charitable organisations were arrested. Credit: AP
Among those arrested was Mohammad Hannoun, president of the Palestinian Association in Italy, prosecutors said, describing him as the “head of the Italian cell of the Hamas organisation”.
Italian interior minister Matteo Piantedosi wrote on X that the operation “lifted the veil on behaviour and activities which, pretending to be initiatives in favour of the Palestinian population, concealed support for and participation in terrorist organisations”.
There was no immediate comment from the suspects or the associations.
In January 2022, the European Council decided to extend existing restrictive measures against 12 individuals and three entities that support the financing of Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
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