In a coordinated transatlantic counter-terrorism intelligence operation, law enforcement authorities in the United States and France executed arrests targeting an international financial network funneled to support Hamas infrastructure. The multi-agency crackdown disrupted a clandestine pipeline that exploited humanitarian channels and cryptocurrency platforms to raise and move over $1.7 million in illicit capital, masking terror financing under the guise of charitable relief efforts.
Targeting Illicit Financial Intermediaries
Judicial filings unsealed alongside the operation detail a systematic scheme operating since 2020 designed to evade international financial scrutiny. Among those indicted is Gaza-based operative Saleem Alzaq, identified by intelligence authorities as a deputy battalion commander in Hamas’s military wing, who faces charges including conspiracy to provide material support to terrorism and money laundering. Operational raids in Florida, Louisiana, and across France resulted in the apprehension of six key intermediaries responsible for channeling capital through structured accounts and digital assets.
Strengthening Defense Resilience and Financial Integrity
Simultaneously, the U.S. Department of the Treasury deployed targeted economic sanctions against associated entities and fundraisers accused of directing upwards of $2 million toward terror infrastructure. This joint enforcement action reflects an increasingly synchronized international security strategy focused on cutting off non-conventional revenue streams used by regional threat actors. By isolating fraudulent fundraising apparatuses and securing digital transaction pathways, Western security services and regional partners continue to harden global financial ecosystems against exploitation while preserving legitimate channels for international aid.