Head of Hamas-Linked Propaganda Outlet Arrested in Europe
The Gaza Now channel spreads Hamas propaganda to millions while financing terror through crypto. Its leader's arrest marks escalating efforts to dismantle terror-linked social media networks
On Friday, Dutch authorities detained Mustafa Ayash, founder of the Hamas-linked Gaza Now channel, at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport on September 20, 2025, with Ayash now facing deportation to Austria.
The arrest marks the latest development in international efforts to crack down on the propaganda network that has amassed over 1.5 million subscribers across social media platforms and plays a crucial role in spreading Hamas content.
Beyond propaganda dissemination, U.S. and British authorities have designated Ayash and his network as terrorist entities for systematically raising money for terrorist groups in Gaza, including through sophisticated cryptocurrency operations.
History of Terror Support and Financing
Gaza Now's support for terrorist activities extends back several years, with the channel consistently promoting violence and fundraising for Hamas under the guise of humanitarian relief donations.
In 2022, following a terror attack in the Israeli city of Elad that killed three people and wounded two others, Gaza Now posted a graphic photo of blood spilled by one of the victims, accompanied by the caption: "The unclean blood of settlers today on the anniversary of the occupation of Palestine. Picture of the year 2022."
Following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7, 2023, Gaza Now's Telegram channel exploded in popularity, growing from approximately 344,000 users to about 1.9 million followers by November 2023. The average number of views per post on the channel increased tenfold to approximately 432,000 views per post, demonstrating the massive reach of its propaganda and fundraising efforts.
On October 18, 2023, following the infamous Al-Ahli Arab Hospital explosion, The Washington Post identified Gaza Now as one of the Hamas-linked Telegram channels helping wage "video jihad." The channel advanced the false narrative that Israel was responsible for the hospital blast and called on its supporters to "take direct action, show anger... Do not wait for tomorrow."
Multiple intelligence sources later determined that the Al-Ahli al-Arabi Hospital blast was not caused by Israeli forces. French military intelligence concluded the explosion resulted from a misfiring Palestinian rocket, while U.S. officials reported "high confidence" signals intelligence indicating Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) was responsible.
International Sanctions and Cryptocurrency Operations
In March 2024, U.S. and British financial authorities moved decisively against Gaza Now's funding network. The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, working alongside the UK's Office of Foreign Sanctions Implementation, sanctioned Mustafa Ayash, Gaza Now, and two London-based companies — Al-Qureshi Executives and Aakhirah Limited — along with their director Aozma Sultana, for channeling funds to Hamas after the October 7 attacks.
Blockchain analysis exposed the sophisticated scope of Gaza Now's digital financing apparatus, revealing that sanctioned cryptocurrency wallets linked to the network had accumulated nearly $4.5 million across multiple digital currencies. While Gaza Now had solicited cryptocurrency donations since 2021, the operation dramatically expanded following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, with operators constantly rotating wallet addresses to evade detection. The financial flows revealed funding from established cryptocurrency exchanges, previously seized criminal wallets, an Iranian-based exchange, and various privacy-focused services designed to obscure transaction origins.
