US Sanctions Two French Charities, Alleging USD 2 Million Contribution to Hamas
The United States has imposed sanctions on two charitable organisations in France, which are accused of serving as funding suppliers for Hamas over several years.
According to AFP on Saturday (3/10/2026), the US government stated that both charities are part of a network dedicated to fundraising for Hamas. The US alleges that these two charities supplied USD 2 million to the group.
“The imposition of these sanctions reveals a sophisticated funding architecture that has operated for years, channeling more than USD 2 million to Hamas under the guise of deceptive charitable organisations and cryptocurrency channels, while also demonstrating the group’s ability to continuously adapt its fundraising mechanisms to avoid detection,” stated the US Treasury Department.
Those sanctioned include Saleem Abdallah Saleem al-Zaq, identified as a member of Hamas. He is said to oversee the financial network and collaborate with the group’s media office.
Sanctions were also imposed on Faouzi Barika and Amel Oualid, who are linked to the France-based charities Association Baraka and Ensemble C Mieux. Both organisations have been added to the US government’s sanctions list.
“Faouzi Barika and Amel Oualid operate from France; they run organisations under the guise of charity, claiming to raise funds for humanitarian purposes to assist civilians in Gaza,” the US Treasury Department revealed.
The US government stated that the network raised more than USD 2 million between 2020 and 2026, with USD 1.5 million of that amount collected following the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023.
The deadly attack triggered a massive military operation by Israel in Gaza, which has resulted in the destruction of much of the Palestinian territory and the deaths of over 70,000 people.
Israel’s military offensive has sparked global sympathy for the Palestinian cause among the general public, even though the governments of Israel’s allies have not issued strong public condemnations.
The Gaza war was triggered by the unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel in 2023. The attack killed 1,221 people, according to AFP calculations based on official Israeli data.
Israel’s massive response has caused much of the Gaza Strip to be destroyed and killed more than 74,000 people. Israel has killed more than 1,400 people since a ceasefire was announced last October.