A Dutch man was sentenced to three years in prison for transferring funds to Hamas-affiliated organizations, the Netherlands Public Prosecution Service (PPS) announced on Tuesday.
The 58-year-old Leidschendam man transferred approximately €8 million between 2010 and 2023, in cooperation with the Rotterdam-based Israa Charitable Foundation Netherlands, leading to a sentence of four years’ prison, with one year suspended.
The PPS said the convicted terrorist financier played “a leading and decisive role in the collection and the ultimate destination of the funds” and knowingly evaded sanctions, “using intermediary structures to channel money to Hamas.”
Israa member of US-sanctioned organization allegedly reporting directly to Hamas
Alongside the Israa foundation, which was sanctioned by the US Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in June for Hamas ties, the suspect had misled financial institutions by acting as if he had no involvement with the foundation.
According to OFAC, Israa is a member of the US-sanctioned organization Union of Good, which allegedly reports directly to Hamas’s Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades military wing and raises funds for the terrorist group in the guise of charities.
Israa’s representatives, Amin Ghazi Abu Rashed and Israa Abouo Rashed, are allegedly both Hamas operatives.
The PPS said that the convicted suspect had continued the terrorism finance activities of another sanctioned foundation, Al Aqsa Foundation, through Israa. They continued Al Aqsa’s activities from 2003, the year OFAC sanctioned the group.
Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Britain, Luxembourg, and Switzerland also took action against what was alleged to be a Hamas front.
The foundation had been based in Germany, and its director, Mahmoud Amr, was allegedly a Hamas activist. Israa employees in Denmark, Germany, and Norway were charged with funding Hamas.