Israeli Official Ministry Report: 45 Organizations in Europe Raised Over 9 Million Dollars for Hamas

SadaNews Economy Translation - A research report from what is known as the Israeli Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and the Fight against Anti-Semitism claims that Hamas continues to exert control over the civil situation in the Gaza Strip despite the war that has lasted for more than two years.

The report alleged, as translated by the SadaNews Economy section, that the structure of government operations in Gaza led by Hamas relies on flows of foreign capital.

According to the report, there is a connection between what 45 charitable organizations in Europe have raised, amounting to approximately $9.5 million, and the transfer of those funds to organizations affiliated with Hamas.

The research report dedicated to identifying the funding channels for Hamas and other organizations in the Gaza Strip indicates that these entities benefit from a wide-ranging recruitment infrastructure operating in the UK, Spain, France, and the Netherlands, relying on crowdfunding, fake websites, bank transfers, payment applications, and cryptocurrencies.

The study indicates that during the war, over $9.5 million was raised for Gaza from about 45 organizations under the guise of "charitable donations"; each of these organizations raised at least $100,000, while seven online campaigns raised over a million dollars, and four additional campaigns raised between half a million and a million dollars.

Among all the campaigns, in the UK, over £11 million (about $14 million) was raised on crowdfunding platforms alone, while campaigns in France raised about €1.4 million; in Spain, hundreds of thousands of euros were collected through campaigns, while in the Netherlands, hundreds of thousands of euros were also raised through similar activities.

The document states: On paper, these amounts seem small, but for Hamas, they represent a lifeline that enables them to pay the salaries of their members. This becomes increasingly important with the continuation of recruitment operations through direct channels (organization websites, bank transfers, PayPal), which represents additional undeclared millions on public platforms. Moreover, in several cases, transfers in cryptocurrencies have been monitored as an additional means of donation, and in this case, the scale of donations remains unclear.

To identify the major funding sources for organizations in Gaza or those suspected of doing so, specialized Israeli entities are modeling countries that appear on the lists of "terrorist" organizations for the Israeli security establishment and the U.S. government, according to what the Hebrew newspaper Globes reported and translated by SadaNews Economy section.

As a result, the study distinguishes between direct and indirect connections, which include direct connections to entities previously classified as "terrorist" organizations, staff or activists affiliated with Hamas, or activities supporting "terrorism"; while indirect connections include cooperation with Hamas-affiliated organizations, transferring funds to entities linked to it, or public discourse that supports or justifies "terrorism".

The results of the research report indicate that there is no substantial difference between the platforms used by organizations that appear legitimate and those used by entities linked to Hamas and other organizations.

The report claims that another main finding is the significant gap in transparency, as the public can view the fundraising campaign and payment methods, but in most cases, they cannot know how the money is transferred, the intermediaries involved, or its final destination within the Gaza Strip.

Researchers note that almost no financial details have been found about the recipients of the funds.

The so-called Minister of Diaspora Affairs and the Fight against Anti-Semitism, Amichai Sheikli, states: "This is a security risk that cannot be ignored; funds, even under a humanitarian guise, may reach elements linked to Hamas... European countries are expected to prevent the flow of funds without adequate oversight."

The report identifies several institutions involved in the indirect funding of Hamas, including "Interpal," a charity established in 1994 in the UK to provide humanitarian aid to Palestinians. In 1997, Israel declared the organization illegal, and only six years later, the United States classified it as a "terrorist" organization due to evidence of its support for Hamas. In 2019, the UK Charity Commission imposed restrictions on its financial activities after the organization’s bank accounts were closed due to investigations raising suspicions regarding the transfer of funds to organizations linked to Hamas.

Among other organizations is the "Good Association," which is one of the largest Islamic charities in the UK, proven to employ members of Hamas. On July 12, 2024, Hussam Mansour, the head of a department in Hamas' internal security, who was also a director at the Good Association, was assassinated.

Another UK organization is the "Islamic Relief Worldwide," which operates branches in over 40 countries focusing on "humanitarian aid and development". In 2014, Islamic Relief Worldwide was declared an "unregistered charity" based on information from Israel's General Security Service (Shabak), indicating that the organization plays a pivotal role in funding Hamas.