From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, July 17, 2019
Israel breaks up alleged Hamas money laundering network
Israel busted a money smuggling operation between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank that brought large sums of money into the terrorist group’s coffers, the IDF says in a statement.
The army says three Hamas operatives were arrested in the joint IDF-Shin Bet raid last night.
To sidestep Israel’s financial sanctions, Hamas employed money changers to transfer funds in and out of Gaza using a “Hawala” network, an informal and cash-less way to transfer funds common in the Middle East.
סוגרים את הברז:
המבצע שחשף ציר העברות כספי טרור של חמאס מעזה לאיו"שלכל הפרטים: https://t.co/yEWiVwXRBA pic.twitter.com/cz1SsHUbKC
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) July 17, 2019
The IDF says the network was run by senior Hamas officials, but operated on the ground by a civilian.
The statement did not disclose the amount of money transferred through the network, but said that “large amounts” were being used to fund terrorist activities and pay salaries of Hamas operatives.
The Times of Israel Community.