US Imposes Third Round of Sanctions on Hamas Following Attack

The United States on Tuesday imposed a third round of sanctions aimed at Hamas following its attack last month on Israel, targeting leaders and financiers of the group.

The U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement the action, taken in coordination with Britain, targeted key Hamas officials and the mechanisms through which Iran provides support to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).

“The United States will continue to work with our partners, including the U.K., to deny Hamas the ability to raise and use funds to carry out its atrocities,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in the statement.

“Hamas’s actions have caused immense suffering and shown that terrorism does not occur in isolation. Together with our partners, we are decisively moving to degrade Hamas’s financial infrastructure, cut them off from outside funding, and block the new funding channels they seek to finance their heinous acts.”

Mahmoud Khaled Zahhar, a senior member and co-founder of Hamas, PIJ’s representative to Iran and the Damascus-based Deputy Secretary General of PIJ and leader of the its militant wing were among those sanctioned by Washington on Tuesday.

Lebanon-based money exchange company Nabil Chouman & Co was also targeted, along with its owner and founder. Treasury accused the company of having served as a conduit for transferring funds to Hamas and said it transferred tens of millions of dollars to the group.

Tuesday’s move freezes any U.S. assets of those targeted and generally bars Americans from dealing with them. Those that engage in certain transactions with them also risk being hit with sanctions.