U.S. Designates Five in France-Based Hamas Fundraising Case

The U.S. Treasury Department designated two France-based charities and three people on Oct. 2 over an alleged Hamas fundraising network that collected more than $2 million and made separate cryptocurrency transfers to a Hamas military official in Gaza.

The cryptocurrency transfers are a distinct allegation from the broader fundraising total. The designation does not specify how much of the $2 million was raised or moved in digital assets.

The designated parties are Association Baraka, Ensemble C Mieux, Faouzi Barika, Amel Oualid and Saleem Abdallah Saleem al-Zaq. Barika and Oualid operated the charities from France, while al-Zaq was identified as a deputy battalion commander in Hamas’ military wing.

The designation alleges that Barika, Oualid and al-Zaq collected more than $2 million for Hamas between 2020 and 2026, including $1.5 million after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. It separately alleges that Barika and Oualid sent al-Zaq hundreds of thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency.

The sanctions block the designated parties’ property in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons. U.S. persons generally may not transact in that property unless authorized or exempt. The restrictions also apply to entities owned 50% or more, individually or in aggregate, by blocked persons.