Italy arrests 7 accused of raising millions for Hamas

ROME – The Italian police said on Dec 27 that they have arrested seven people suspected of raising millions of euros for the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

The police also issued international arrests for two others who are outside the country.

Three associations, officially supporting Palestinian civilians but allegedly serving as a front for funding Hamas, are implicated in the investigation, a police statement said.

The nine individuals are accused of having financed approximately €7 million (S$10.6 million) to “associations based in Gaza, the Palestinian territories or Israel, owned, controlled or linked to Hamas”.

While the official objective of the three associations was to collect donations “for humanitarian purposes for the Palestinian people”, more than 71 per cent was earmarked for the direct financing of Hamas or entities affiliated with the Islamist movement, according to the police.

Some of the money went to “family members implicated in terrorist attacks”, the statement said.

Among those arrested was Mohammad Hannoun, president of the Palestinian Association in Italy, according to media reports.

Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi posted on social media platform X that the operation “lifted the veil on behaviour and activities which, pretending to be initiatives in favour of the Palestinian population, concealed support for and participation in terrorist organisations”. AFP