UK and US have today sanctioned key figures in the financial
networks of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad
Targets include a key Hamas financier who has used his money
exchange and cryptocurrencies to move Iranian funding to
terrorist groups
Coordinated sanctions show ‘there is no place to hide’ for Hamas
financiers, says the Foreign Secretary
The UK and US have imposed coordinated sanctions on Hamas today
to disrupt the terrorist group’s financial networks.
Five key figures and an entity involved in the leadership and
financial networks of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ)
are the subject of the UK’s new sanctions, which will help to cut
off the flow of funding that supports these terrorist groups,
including from Iran.
Today’s announcement is the third round of sanctions imposed on
Hamas and PIJ by the following the 7 October attacks on Israel,
which build on existing sanctions against the groups.
Foreign Secretary said:
These sanctions send a clear message to Hamas – the UK and our
partners are committed to ensuring there is no hiding place for
those financing terrorist activities.
To reach a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza, Hamas can no longer be
in power and able to threaten Israel. By disrupting the financial
networks which sustain Hamas’ operation, including from Iran,
these sanctions support that crucial aim.
The UK is committed to working with partners to tackle Iran’s
destabilising activities in the Middle East, including its
long-term support to terrorist and militant groups. Today’s
sanctions target Zuheir Shamlakh, a man with an infamous
reputation as Hamas’s ‘main money changer’ since 2019, and a key
figure in the group’s shift towards cryptocurrencies.
Shamlakh exploited digital currencies and existing systems of
informal money transfers to move large sums of money from Iran to
Hamas ahead of the tragic 7 October attacks. This
underground financial network uses legitimate businesses as a
front to conceal the flow of terrorist funding.
Those now subject to UK asset freezes and targeted arms embargoes
include:
- Zuheir Shamlakh: a key Hamas financier including through his
company Al Mutahadun for Exchange;
- Ahmed Sharif Abdallah Odeh: a key operator in Hamas’s
financial network who previously ran their international
portfolio of companies;
- Ismail Barhoum: a member of Hamas’s Political Bureau in Gaza
and the group’s governing Shura Council;
- Hassan Al-Wardian: a senior leader of Hamas in the
Bethlehem/West Bank region;
- Jamil Yusuf Ahmad Aliyan: a senior PIJ official and
representative based in Gaza.
The individuals are also subject to a travel ban, and will be
unable to enter the UK.
The UK, along with our G7 partners, has committed to take action
to deny Hamas the ability to raise and use funds to carry out
atrocities. The EU announced on Friday 19 January 2023 a new EU
sanctions regime against Hamas and sanctioned six targets which
had previously been sanctioned by the UK and US.
This is the third tranche of sanctions the UK has imposed against
Hamas and its associates since 7 October under the UK’s
International Counter-Terrorism sanctions regime. Previous
packages have targeted other top-ranking officials and financiers
of Hamas.
The Foreign Secretary continues to work with allies and partners
to find a peaceful resolution to this conflict. During his visit
to Davos last week the Foreign Secretary spoke with Israel’s
President Isaac Herzog, Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia Prince
Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, and Prime Minister of the Kurdistan
Region of Iraq Masrour Barzani.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
- Hamas and PIJ themselves are already sanctioned by the UK,
and are subject to an asset freeze and arms embargo.
- Membership and expressing support for Hamas or PIJ is an
illegal act in the UK, punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
Dozens of countries, including the United Kingdom, United States
and the European Union, have designated Hamas and PIJ as
terrorist groups.
- An asset freeze prevents any UK citizen, or any business in
the UK, from dealing with any funds or economic resources which
are owned, held or controlled by the designated person. It also
prevents funds or economic resources being provided to or for the
benefit of the designated person. UK financial sanctions apply to
all persons within the territory and territorial sea of the UK
and to all UK persons, wherever they are in the world
- A travel ban means that the designated person must be refused
leave to enter or to remain in the United Kingdom, providing the
individual is an excluded person under section 8B of the
Immigration Act 1971
- This follows two previous rounds of UK-US coordinated
sanctions action against Hamas following the 7 October attacks on
Israel. For further information: on the first round of sanctions
against Hamas since 7 Octoberand also the second
round.
- On 14 December the Foreign Secretary announced a new Iran
sanctions regime, giving the UK extensive new powers to hold Iran
to account. For further information on this and the first round
of sanctions under this regime: New Iranian sanction
regime comes in to force - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
