The U.S. Department of Justice has unsealed criminal charges against Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar and other leaders of the organization for their involvement in the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre in Israel. The charges include conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, conspiracy to murder U.S. nationals, and conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction resulting in death. Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah are accused of providing financial support and weapons, including rockets, used in the attack. This marks the first time U.S. prosecutors have formally targeted the masterminds of the massacre.
Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the charges, stating that this is just one part of the effort to target all aspects of Hamas’ operations. The Justice Department has vowed to pursue the terrorists responsible for murdering Americans and those who support them illegally for the rest of their lives. The charges were filed following the recovery of the bodies of six hostages, including an Israeli American, in the tunnels beneath Rafah in the Gaza Strip. Hamas chief Sinwar is believed to be hiding in Hamas’ tunnel network in Gaza and is currently at the top of Israel’s most-wanted list.
Other Hamas leaders charged include Ismail Haniyeh, Marwan Issa, Khaled Mashaal, Mohammed Deif, and Ali Baraka. Haniyeh was killed in Iran, while Issa was reportedly killed in a March airstrike by Israel. Deif is believed to be dead following an Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza in July. The Department of Justice stated that at least one person, whose name was not specified in the complaint, is expected to be arrested in the Southern District of New York. The charges against these Hamas leaders come as a result of their involvement in the brutal massacre in Israel, which left around 1,200 Israelis dead and hundreds more held hostage.
The charges against Hamas leaders come on the heels of the recovery of the bodies of hostages from the Gaza Strip. The attack on Israel by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, resulted in a large number of casualties and hostages taken by the terrorist organization. The involvement of Iran and Hezbollah in providing support and weapons for the attack has been highlighted in the criminal complaint. Hamas’ extensive tunnel network in Gaza has been a key element in their ability to evade capture, with Sinwar believed to be hiding within it. The Justice Department has made it clear that these charges are just the beginning of their efforts to target those responsible for terrorist acts against Americans and their supporters.
The U.S. Department of Justice has unsealed criminal charges against Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar and other leaders of the organization for their involvement in the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre in Israel. The charges include conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, conspiracy to murder U.S. nationals, and conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction resulting in death. This marks the first time U.S. prosecutors have formally targeted the masterminds of the massacre. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the charges, stating that this is just one part of the effort to target all aspects of Hamas’ operations. The Justice Department has vowed to pursue the terrorists responsible for murdering Americans and those who support them illegally for the rest of their lives. The charges were filed following the recovery of the bodies of six hostages, including an Israeli American, in the tunnels beneath Rafah in the Gaza Strip. Hamas chief Sinwar is believed to be hiding in Hamas’ tunnel network in Gaza and is currently at the top of Israel’s most-wanted list. Other Hamas leaders charged include Ismail Haniyeh, Marwan Issa, Khaled Mashaal, Mohammed Deif, and Ali Baraka. Haniyeh was killed in Iran, while Issa was reportedly killed in a March airstrike by Israel. Deif is believed to be dead following an Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza in July. The Department of Justice stated that at least one person, whose name was not specified in the complaint, is expected to be arrested in the Southern District of New York. The charges against these Hamas leaders come as a result of their involvement in the brutal massacre in Israel, which left around 1,200 Israelis dead and hundreds more held hostage.
