Treasury Sanctions Hamas' Hidden Network of Charities and Flotilla Organizers
Treasury sanctions Hamas-controlled PCPA, flotilla organizer Zaher Birawi, and six Gaza charities accused of supporting the terror group’s military wing
On January 21, 2026, the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced designated six Gaza-based organizations that claim to provide medical care to Palestinian civilians but actually funnel resources directly to Hamas’s military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
As part of the same enforcement action, OFAC also designated the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA), a diaspora organization that orchestrates Gaza flotillas, and Zaher Khaled Hassan Birawi, a UK-based PCPA founding member who serves as a senior operative coordinating Hamas's international activities. Together, these designations represent a comprehensive enforcement effort to disrupt terrorist financing networks operating within both the humanitarian sector and the international diplomatic sphere.
Jewish Onliner has extensively documented these connections, publishing nine articles on the PCPA's ties to Hamas and twelve articles on Birawi's involvement with the terrorist organization. Today's Treasury enforcement action vindicated this reporting.
According to Treasury officials, these organizations—Waed Society Gaza, Al-Nur Society Gaza, Qawafil Society Gaza, Al-Falah Society Gaza, Merciful Hands Gaza, and Al-Salameh Society Gaza—deliberately hide their affiliation with Hamas to solicit donations from international donors, many of whom are unaware they are indirectly funding military operations. Documentary evidence captured from Hamas offices following October 7, 2023, revealed the extent of this deception network.
Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley stated that “Hamas continues to show a callous disregard for the welfare of the Palestinian people,” emphasizing that the Trump Administration would not permit Hamas leadership to “exploit the financial system to fund terrorist operations.”
Evidence of Direct Financial Transfers to Hamas’ Military Wing
Treasury officials uncovered concrete connections between these organizations and Hamas’s military apparatus. Members of Hamas’s internal security forces are formally assigned to work within these charities, particularly at Waed Society and Al-Salameh. The Waed Society receives direct funding from Hamas to execute military projects and is tasked with advocating on behalf of captured Hamas fighters.
Al-Nur and Al-Falah similarly operate as financial conduits. Al-Nur transfers funds directly to Hamas military wing members and provides services to Hamas fighters. Al-Falah transferred over $2.5 million to Hamas over a three-year period alone. Merciful Hands and Qawafil receive operational instructions and funding directly from the military wing to support Hamas projects and personnel.
Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad Exposed as Hamas Orchestrator of Gaza Flotillas
The PCPA has served as Hamas's operational hub for organizing Gaza flotillas, with Hamas leaders directly controlling the group's strategy and flotilla operations. Classified documents and communications reveal that Hamas secretly established and manages the PCPA through operatives from its Bureau of International Relations.
A 2018 letter from Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh to the Hamas Political Bureau outlined using the PCPA as a core component of Hamas’s strategy to expand international influence while escalating violence against Israel. Hamas provided $100,000 to fund the PCPA’s inaugural meeting and continues directing its activities through placement of key Hamas operatives in senior positions.
Two individuals previously designated by Treasury in October 2024—Adel Saad al-Din Hassan Doughman and Majid Khalil Moussa al-Zeer—held prominent PCPA positions while simultaneously serving as senior Hamas representatives in Europe. Doughman led Hamas efforts in Austria, while al-Zeer served as PCPA Chairman and oversaw Hamas fundraising operations across Europe from Germany.
Implications and Enforcement Authority
All property and assets held by these organizations and individuals within the United States are now blocked, and U.S. persons are prohibited from conducting transactions with them unless specifically authorized by OFAC. Financial institutions face secondary sanctions risks for knowingly engaging with designated entities. Violations can result in significant civil and criminal penalties, with potential criminal liability for willful violations.
Treasury emphasized that the designations aim to strengthen the humanitarian sector by exposing terrorist financing networks, allowing legitimate Palestinian aid efforts to continue under OFAC’s humanitarian general licenses. The action targets the deceptive mechanisms Hamas uses rather than Palestinian advocacy itself, consistent with constitutional protections for speech and political organization.
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