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From Genoa to Gaza: The Hamas scheme that operated in the name of humanitarian aid
Italian authorities have cracked down on a suspected Hamas financial network in Italy, arresting nine people accused of financing terrorism and involvement in subversive activities. According to investigations by the National Anti-Mafia and Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office, in collaboration with the Genoa Digos and the Financial Guard, around 7 million euros collected in the name of humanitarian aid for the Palestinian people were diverted to Hamas, an organization designated a terrorist organization by the European Union and responsible for the October 7 attack in Israel two years ago.
The investigation focuses on three Italian-based charities: the Charity Association of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, founded in Genoa in 1994, a voluntary organization created in 2003, and the association “La Cupola d'Oro” opened in Milan the same year. According to prosecutors, these structures were managed by Mohammad Hannoun, considered a key figure in Hamas's external wing and head of what investigators describe as the organization's “Italian cell.” The arrested are accused of creating a stable structure for the purpose of financing terrorism, including international cooperation with similar networks outside Italy.
The investigation involved close international cooperation, particularly with the Dutch authorities, to reconstruct the links between charities and Hamas, as well as the flow of funds to Gaza, the Palestinian Territories and Israel. According to the prosecution, more than 71% of the funds collected were transferred through complex banking and intermediary schemes to associations declared illegal by the Israeli state, directly linked to or controlled by Hamas. Among the beneficiaries is Osama Alisawi, a former minister in the de facto government of Gaza, who, according to investigators, has repeatedly requested financial support.
The Italian Interior Minister, Matteo Piantedosi, described the operation as very important and significant, stressing that, without prejudice to the principle of the presumption of innocence, the investigations have revealed that behind the initiatives presented as humanitarian, there was concrete support for an Islamist terrorist organization. He underlined the professionalism of the law enforcement agencies and their ability to follow international financial flows, calling this another proof of the high level of the Italian anti-terrorism structures.
On the other hand, the heads of the prosecution have clarified that the investigations into this network do not in any way minimize the crimes committed against the Palestinian population during Israeli military operations after October 7, 2023, for which the International Criminal Court's assessment is awaited. However, they emphasize that these crimes cannot be used to justify Hamas' terrorist acts, which, according to jurisprudence, remain such even when committed in the context of armed conflict.
According to the investigative file, Hannoun is accused of having, for more than two decades, directed or controlled various charities to continue financing Hamas, even after the financial system had intervened to block the transfers. Investigators speak of a well-structured strategy, part of a broader Hamas project to build operational cells outside the Middle East, including in Italy, capable of providing funds and logistical support.
The investigation also documented transfers of large sums of money from Italy and other countries, such as Turkey, to Gaza, as well as the role of collaborators in Tuscany and Milan. Italian authorities emphasize that this case sheds light on how structures disguised as charities can be used to finance international terrorism, exploiting public sensitivity to humanitarian crises. /Pamphlet
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