US Imposes Sanctions on Hamas and Members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, According to Reuters

By Daphne Psaledakis

WASHINGTON – On Friday, the United States announced a second wave of sanctions targeting Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, following its recent attacks on Israel. The sanctions include measures against a Hamas official located in Iran as well as members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The latest actions focus on additional assets linked to Hamas’s investment portfolio and individuals who facilitate sanctions evasion for companies associated with the group, according to a statement from the U.S. Treasury Department. Among the targeted entities is a Gaza-based organization identified as a conduit for illicit funds from Iran to Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a group also supported by Tehran.

Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo emphasized the U.S. commitment to diminishing Hamas’s capacity for conducting terrorist operations through sustained efforts to cut off its financial networks. He criticized certain firms in the digital asset sector for not doing enough to prevent the flow of illicit funds.

The escalation of violence began on October 7, when Hamas launched an attack that Israel claims resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,400 individuals. The assault also included the abduction of over 200 hostages, including infants.

In its response, Israel has carried out extensive airstrikes in the densely populated Gaza Strip. According to the Hamas-controlled Gaza health ministry, the airstrikes have resulted in the deaths of 7,028 Palestinians since the escalation began, although these figures have not been independently verified.

The sanctions imposed on Friday freeze any U.S. assets of the designated groups and place limitations on American individuals and entities from engaging with them. Those who conduct specific transactions with these groups could also face sanctions.

Among those sanctioned is a Jordanian national residing in Tehran, identified as a representative of Hamas in Iran, alongside officials from the Qods Force of the IRGC, who have been providing training and assistance to Hamas and other militant organizations. A commander from the Iran-based Saberin Special Forces Brigade, which has reportedly deployed to Syria and supported the training of Hamas and Hezbollah members, was also included in the sanctions.

Companies located in Sudan and Spain were impacted by the sanctions, along with shareholders in Turkey affiliated with an entity previously designated as part of Hamas’s investment portfolio. The U.S. has indicated that Hamas’s investment assets, estimated to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars, include companies operating in various nations including Turkey, Sudan, Algeria, and the United Arab Emirates.

This recent violence has raised concerns regarding a potential wider conflict in the Middle East. In response to ongoing attacks against U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria, the U.S. military conducted airstrikes on Thursday against two facilities in eastern Syria controlled by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and its affiliates.