US sanctions Gaza flotilla aid activists, accusing them of ties to a Hamas network
The United States government on Tuesday, 19 May, formally imposed sanctions on four individuals linked to the flotilla delivering humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, Palestine. Washington said the activists were connected to a pro-terrorist group supporting Hamas’ agenda. The move came after Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla bound for Gaza on Monday, shortly after the ships had sailed from Turkey the previous week. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the mission as an evil scheme intended to undermine the progress of President Donald Trump’s administration toward lasting peace in the region. The flotilla formed part of the Global Sumud initiative, an international coalition of humanitarian activists organising civilian ships to deliver aid to Palestinians while challenging Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza.
“The pro-terror flotilla seeking to reach Gaza is a ludicrous attempt to derail the hard-won progress toward lasting peace in the region under President Donald Trump,” said US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in a formal statement.
US authorities said the sanctioned individuals were linked to the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA). Washington claimed the group acted as a front for armed Palestinian groups, including Hamas. Some of them were also accused of being affiliated with the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, an organisation that Israel and the United States regard as the political wing of an armed group. The list of sanctioned individuals includes:
Although the Israeli Foreign Ministry accused Abu Keshek of being a leading member of the PCPA, the Israeli human rights group representing him in court denied this, stating that he had withdrawn from the group more than a year ago.
Beyond the flotilla activists, the US also targeted individuals and entities accused of directly supporting Hamas operations. Among them are Marwan Abu Ras and the Palestinian Scholars Association led by him. Abu Ras is accused of aligning religious discourse in Gaza with Hamas ideology. Three other individuals named as Hamas operatives or HASM—an Egypt-based group described as the violent offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood—also appear on the sanctions list. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott described them as facilitators used by Hamas to finance operations and cross-border terrorist violence.
To date, the Gaza humanitarian crisis remains acute according to UN reports. Despite a ceasefire, military operations continue. Health Ministry data in Gaza record more than 72,000 people killed since the conflict began in October 2023, with more than 770 deaths since the ceasefire on 10 October.
Two international activists, Saif Abu Keshek and Thiago Avila, challenged their detention in an Israeli court on charges related to Gaza aid. Israel says it has killed Ezzedin al-Haddad, a Hamas military commander, in an air strike on Gaza City amid the ceasefire.
A Gaza Peace Council envoy to Gaza said Hamas could remain a Palestinian political force if it was willing to disarm and abandon militant activity. The Israeli Parliament formally passed a law establishing a special military court to try Hamas militants for the 7 October attacks. Azzam Al-Hayya, son of Hamas leader Khalil Al-Hayya, was killed in an Israeli strike on the al-Daraj district of Gaza City. Hamas said this was a political pressure tactic. The Israeli military acknowledged failings in the 7 October 2023 incident, calling it the greatest disaster since the Holocaust and urging an independent investigation.