US sanctions 6 Hamas officials, including those based in Turkey

The US Treasury Department sanctioned six Hamas officials on Tuesday, including three based in Turkey. 

The officials were named as Abd al-Rahman Ismail abd al-Rahman Ghanimat, Musa Daud Muhammad Akari, Salama Mari, Mohammad Nazzal, Basem Naim, and Ghazi Hamad.

The Turkey-based Ghanimat, a member of Hamas’s military wing, the Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, was involved in multiple terrorist attacks, including the 1997 bombing of a Tel Aviv café. 

Akari, also based in Turkey, facilitates Hamas’s funding from the country into the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. He was convicted of kidnapping and murdering a member of Israel’s Border Police.

Mari, who served in prison for his part in a terrorist attack that killed an Israeli soldier in 1993, also lives in Turkey.

Nazzal, with over 30 years of experience as an official, serves on Hamas’s International Relations Council, representing the terrorist organization to international audiences.

Naim, also a member of the council, is based in Gaza and has played important roles as an envoy to other countries, including to Russia. He previously served as Hamas's health minister.

Hamad is also based in Gaza, serving as the editor to Hamas’s propaganda outlets. He previously oversaw Gazan border crossings for Hamas, which were used to smuggle construction materials to build the extensive tunnel network in the Palestinian enclave.

"Hamas continues to rely on key officials who seemingly maintain legitimate, public-facing roles within the group, yet who facilitate their terrorist activities, represent their interests abroad, and coordinate the transfer of money and goods into Gaza," said Bradley T. Smith, acting under-secretary for the Treasury on terrorism and financial intelligence. "The Treasury remains committed to disrupting Hamas’s efforts to secure additional revenue and holding those who facilitate the group’s terrorist activities to account."