by Jake Smith
The Treasury Department unveiled sanctions on a number of Hamas operatives and financial facilitators Wednesday in the wake of terrorist attacks on Israel.
Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas carried out attacks against Israel on Oct. 7, resulting in the deaths of over 1,400 Israelis and the kidnapping of over 100 people, including Americans. The Biden administration has taken steps to castigate Hamas since the attacks, including imposing sanctions against Hamas operatives and financial actors in an effort to throttle the group’s funding, according to a press release from the Treasury.
Today, the @USTreasury is taking swift and decisive action to target Hamas financiers and facilitators following its brutal and unconscionable terrorist attacks against Israel. https://t.co/z1n35WC4zA
— Secretary Janet Yellen (@SecYellen) October 18, 2023
“The United States is taking swift and decisive action to target Hamas’s financiers and facilitators following its brutal and unconscionable massacre of Israeli civilians, including children,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Wednesday. “The U.S. Treasury has a long history of effectively disrupting terror finance and we will not hesitate to use our tools against Hamas… that includes by imposing sanctions and coordinating with allies and partners to track, freeze, and seize any Hamas-related assets in their jurisdictions.”
The sanctions are imposed on ten key Hamas targets, including members managing a “secret” investment portfolio, a Qatar-based financial actor allied with the Iranian regime, a high-level Hamas commander, and a Gazan crypto exchange and its operator, according to the press release. In total, the sanctions will cover operatives in Gaza, Sudan, Türkiye, Algeria and Qatar.
Biden will ask Congress to prepare a $100 billion aid package for Israel and Ukraine, though it is unclear how the funds would be split between the two countries, according to Politico. Yellen urged the House to decide on a speaker so that the aid can be quickly approved, during an interview on Monday.
“We do need to come up with funds, both for Israel and for Ukraine. This is a priority,” Yellen said to Sky News. “It’s really up to the House to find, seat a speaker and to put us in a position where legislation can be passed.”
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Jake Smith is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation.
