Italian authorities have delivered a significant blow to the financing of international terrorism by arresting nine individuals accused of channeling more than seven million euros to the extremist group Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the European Union, the United States, and Israel.

The operation, carried out in the northern city of Genoa and other locations, also involved the court-ordered seizure of three charitable associations used as a front for illicit funding.

The investigation was launched at the request of Italy’s Anti-Mafia and Anti-Terrorism Directorate and comes amid heightened global security concerns following the October 7, 2023 attacks in Israel, which renewed international scrutiny of financial networks supporting the Palestinian Islamist movement.

Among those arrested is Mohammad Hannoun, identified by investigators as the head of Hamas’s international branch and the operational leader of its Italian cell.

According to court documents, Hannoun held legal and administrative positions within the implicated charities and coordinated a fundraising system publicly portrayed as humanitarian aid for Palestinians.

Authorities allege that more than 70% of the funds raised were in fact transferred directly to Hamas or to closely affiliated entities. Investigators say part of the money was used to support the families of suicide bombers and individuals imprisoned for terrorism-related offenses.

Corruption or negligence: current status of the case

Other detainees include RawwaIbrahim Salameh, described as the network’s representative for northeastern Italy; Abu Khalil, founder and legal representative of the charity La Cupola d’Oro; and Abdu Mohammed Ismail, a resident of Turkey accused of transferring at least €462,700 to Hamas, including cash deliveries.

Investigators reconstructed a complex financial network that has been active since at least October 18, 2001 and expanded significantly after the events of October 2023. The total amount of identified transfers reached €7,288,248.15.

To conceal the final destination of the funds, the network relied on sophisticated triangulation methods involving bank transfers, intermediaries in third countries, and the use of foreign-based associations.

Ultimately, the money flowed to entities in Gaza, the Palestinian Territories, and, in some cases, to operational structures linked to Hamas with connections affecting Israel.

Prosecutors emphasized that the exploitation of charitable organizations represents one of the most challenging aspects of counterterrorism financing efforts, as it manipulates legitimate humanitarian causes to mask criminal activity.

The suspects face charges of “conspiracy to commit terrorism, including international terrorism, and subversion of the democratic order.” If convicted, they could receive lengthy prison sentences.

The case relied on close cooperation with law enforcement and judicial authorities in the Netherlands and other EU countries, enabling investigators to trace cross-border financial flows and dismantle the transnational network.

Italian Interior Minister Piantedosi highlighted the importance of the operation, stating that the government remains firmly committed to preventing any form of support for terrorism.

“Activities disguised as social or humanitarian assistance cannot be allowed to serve as a cover for financing extremist violence,” he said.

The arrests underscore growing concern in Italy, Israel, and among Western allies about Hamas’s ability to maintain funding networks far beyond the Middle East, even within highly regulated European financial systems.