{"id":20056508,"date":"2023-10-18T16:13:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-18T14:13:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/?p=20056508"},"modified":"2023-12-22T13:35:41","modified_gmt":"2023-12-22T12:35:41","slug":"sudanese-financier-cited-as-new-us-sanctions-target-hamas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/en\/all-news\/article\/sudanese-financier-cited-as-new-us-sanctions-target-hamas","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Sudanese financier\u2019 cited as new US sanctions target Hamas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The US Department of the Treasury\u2019s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), today imposed new sanctions on what it terms \u201c10 key Hamas terrorist group members, operatives, and financial facilitators\u201d in Gaza and elsewhere including Sudan, T\u00fcrkiye, Algeria, and Qatar. In a statement from Washington, the OFAC says that \u201cthis action targets members managing assets in a secret Hamas investment portfolio\u2026\u201d. One of those designated is Abdelbasit Hamza, who OFAC describes as \u201ca Sudan-based Hamas financier\u201d.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The US move follows the Hamas invasion of Israel last week, and most lately, a devastating blast in the courtyard of the Al Ahli hospital in Gaza<\/a> yesterday evening, that is reported to have killed hundreds of people. Palestinian Hamas authorities immediately attributed the explosion to an Israeli air strike, however Israel has denied responsibility, in turn blaming the destruction on \u201ca failed rocket launch by Islamic Jihad\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Sudanese Foreign Ministry has condemned the blast as \u201ca complete crime against humanity<\/a>\u201d. US President Joe Biden, who arrived in Tel Aviv today<\/a>, said he was \u201cdeeply saddened and outraged\u201d by the explosion, however, he told Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu: \u201cBased on what I\u2019ve seen, it appears as though it was done by the other team, not you\u2026 but there\u2019s a lot of people out there not sure so we have to overcome a lot of things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Biden told reporters that his conclusion that Israel is not responsible for the blast is based on \u201cthe data I was shown by my defence department\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sanctions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe United States is taking swift and decisive action to target Hamas\u2019s financiers and facilitators following its brutal and unconscionable massacre of Israeli civilians, including children,\u201d said Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe US Treasury has a long history of effectively disrupting terror finance and we will not hesitate to use our tools against Hamas. We will continue to take all steps necessary to deny Hamas terrorists the ability to raise and use funds to carry out atrocities and terrorize the people of Israel. That includes by imposing sanctions and coordinating with allies and partners to track, freeze, and seize any Hamas-related assets in their jurisdictions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

OFAC<\/a> says that today\u2019s designations are \u201cpart of a continuous effort by the United States to root out Hamas\u2019s sources of revenue in the West Bank and Gaza and across the region and is taken in close coordination with regional partners and allies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToday, OFAC is designating six individuals associated with Hamas\u2019s secret investment portfolio<\/a>, two senior Hamas officials, and a Gaza-based virtual currency exchange and its operator.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those listed include Abdelbasit Hamza Elhassan Mohamed Khair (Hamza), who OFAC describes as \u201ca Sudan-based Hamas financier<\/a> who has managed numerous companies in Hamas\u2019s investment portfolio and was previously involved in the transfer of almost $20 million to Hamas\u2026 Hamza has facilitated funds for Hamas through a network of large companies in Sudan\u2026 Hamza also has longstanding ties to terrorism financing, including historic ties to al-Qa\u2019ida and Usama bin Laden-linked companies in Sudan\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hamza himself has not commented on the OFAC statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Implications<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

OFAC says that as a result of today\u2019s action, \u201call property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of US persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC\u2019s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by US persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn addition, financial institutions and other persons that engage in certain transactions or activities with sanctioned entities and individuals may expose themselves to sanctions or be subject to an enforcement action. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person,\u201d OFAC says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Read the complete OFAC statement here<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n