Italy arrests nine over alleged Hamas funding through charities

Italian authorities arrested nine people on 27 December 2025 on suspicion of financing Hamas through charities based in Italy. The operation was coordinated by anti-mafia and anti-terrorism units.

Prosecutors in Genoa said the suspects allegedly diverted around €7 million ($8.2 million) collected over the past two years for humanitarian purposes to entities linked to Hamas, which the European Union lists as a terrorist organisation.

Among those arrested was Mohammad Hannoun, president of the Palestinian Association in Italy, whom investigators described as head of the "Italian cell" of Hamas. Over 71 percent of the charities' donations were allegedly sent to Hamas-affiliated groups in Gaza, the Palestinian territories or Israel.

Police seized assets worth more than €8 million.

The investigation began after suspicious financial transactions were flagged and expanded with cooperation from Dutch authorities and other EU countries through Eurojust.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni praised the "particularly complex and important operation" that uncovered funding for Hamas through "so-called charity organisations."

The arrests come amid heightened European scrutiny of potential terrorist financing networks.