Rome
Reuters
—
Italian prosecutors mentioned on Saturday they’d arrested nine individuals on suspicion of financing Hamas through charities primarily based in Italy, in an operation coordinated by anti-mafia and anti-terrorism models.
The suspects are accused of “belonging to and having financed” the Palestinian group, which the European Union designates as a terrorist group, prosecutors within the northern Italian metropolis of Genoa mentioned in an announcement.
Those arrested allegedly diverted to Hamas-linked entities round 7 million euros ($8.24 million) raised over the final two years for ostensibly humanitarian functions, prosecutors mentioned. Police seized belongings value greater than 8 million euros.
The investigation started after suspicious monetary transactions had been flagged and expanded through cooperation with Dutch authorities and different EU nations, coordinated through the EU judicial company Eurojust.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni thanked the authorities for “a particularly complex and important operation” which had uncovered financing for Hamas through “so-called charity organizations.”
The Israeli prime minister’s workplace didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Meloni’s help for Israel throughout its struggle with Hamas in Gaza has triggered giant and repeated road protests in Italy.
Israel’s assault on Gaza has killed greater than 71,000 individuals, based on the enclave’s well being ministry. It was triggered by a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed round 1,200 individuals, based on Israeli tallies.