Trump administration sanctions Gaza flotilla organizers, accuses Hamas ties
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The Trump administration on Tuesday accused Hamas of using activist and Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated networks to support a flotilla bound for Gaza and sanctioned several organizers associated with the effort.
The sanctions package announced by the Treasury and State departments also targeted activists affiliated with the anti-Israel activist network Samidun, which US officials describe as a front of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), as well as operatives affiliated with Muslim Brotherhood networks aligned with Hamas.
There is USA set The PFLP is considered a foreign terrorist organization. Governments including the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. Both groups are Islamist organizations that believe in the establishment of Islamic theocracies where sharia, or Islamic law, is the law of the land.
The sanctions came after the Israeli navy stopped dozens of boats from the flotilla in international waters off Cyprus and detained hundreds of activists on board. While activists in the flotilla said that the purpose of the mission was to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and challenge Israel’s blockade of the region, Israeli officials described this effort as a political provocation.
The move is seen as a warning shot against a broader ecosystem of activists in the US who have long championed the fleet campaign at the nexus between Islamist and pro-communist organizations, including CodePink and the People’s Forum; these include non-profit organizations funded by Neville Roy Singham, an American Marxist expatriate living in Shanghai, that promote the agenda of the Chinese Communist Party. On Monday, CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin It was published A video protesting the “kidnapping” of flotilla members detained by Israel and calling the country a “pariah state.” People’s Forum earlier this month requested Release of other detained activists. The sanctions fit into a broader Treasury Department strategy of targeting networks that use the humanitarian or civil society brand to amplify Hamas-aligned causes.
ISRAEL CLAIMS THERE IS NO HELP IN THE FLEET GOING TO GAZA
People hold banners and Palestinian flags protesting Israel’s interference with the Global Sumud flotilla in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Athens, Greece, on May 18, 2026. (Kostas Baltaş/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the “terrorist flotilla trying to reach Gaza is a ludicrous attempt to undermine President Trump’s successful progress toward lasting peace in the region.” “The Treasury will continue to cut off Hamas’s global financial support networks, wherever it is in the world,” Bessent said.
The move reflects growing scrutiny from U.S. officials over the role that activists, nonprofits and international support networks play in strengthening or supporting groups designated as terrorist organizations.
The sanctions freeze designated individuals’ U.S.-based assets and generally prohibit Americans and U.S.-based entities from doing business with them.
The State Department said the appointments targeted three categories of what it described as Hamas enablers: organizers of a Hamas-backed flotilla trying to reach Gaza, operatives who facilitate violent terrorist attacks within Hamas-aligned Muslim Brotherhood networks, and Samidoun-affiliated coordinators.
Among those sanctioned were Spain-based Saif Hashim Kamel Abukishek, a member of the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad, who Treasury officials said served on the flotilla’s management committee, and Jordan-based Hisham Abdallah Suleiman Abu Mahfouz, acting secretary-general and president of the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad.
The Treasury also imposed sanctions on Belgium-based Samidun coordinator Mohammed Hatib and Madrid-based activist Jaldia Abubakra Aueda, whom authorities accused of helping coordinate the group’s activities in Europe.
Türkiye’S NATO ROLE UNDER SCREENING OVER NEW REPORT ON HAMAS AND MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD TIES
Israeli forces board a ship during the interception of the Global Sumud fleet in the Mediterranean on May 19, 2026. (Global Sumud Fleet via AP)
The Treasury has previously described Samidun as a fundraising and support platform for the PFLP in countries where the group faces legal restrictions.
The sanctions package also targeted numerous operatives affiliated with Hamas-affiliated Muslim Brotherhood networks, including members affiliated with Harakat Sawa’d Misr, the Egypt-based militant arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, known by its acronym HASM.
“Hamas uses these enablers to maintain its position in Gaza, finance its operations, and engage in terrorist violence beyond its borders,” the State Department said. “Today’s action exposes how Hamas exploits diaspora organizations, religious institutions, and so-called civil society groups to advance its malign agenda while claiming humanitarian goals.”
The Treasury on Tuesday accused one of the sanctioned individuals, Karim Sayed Ahmed Moghny, of directing militant activities, training operators in covert operations and collaborating with HASM in attacks targeting Israeli interests.
The Treasury also imposed sanctions on Marwan Abu Ras and the Palestinian Scholars Association, which authorities accused of helping align religious institutions in Gaza with Hamas’ ideology.
The sanctions came as Israeli forces intercepted the remaining flotilla ships on Tuesday and detained hundreds of activists on board. Associated Press.
Tagline/caption: Israeli soldiers are seen on a ship carrying symbols of the Global Sumud fleet, with a cargo ship behind it, as seen from Ashdod in southern Israel on May 19, 2026. (Amir Cohen/Reuters)
According to the AP, flotilla organizers said 428 activists from more than 40 countries were detained after Israeli forces stopped about 41 ships in international waters off Cyprus.
Amnesty International called for the release of the flotilla activists, including Abukishek, and described the mission as a “peaceful solidarity mission” aimed at breaking Israel’s blockade of Gaza.
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While Türkiye and Hamas condemned Israel’s intervention in the flotilla, the Irish prime minister called the operation in international waters “absolutely unacceptable,” according to the AP.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Samidun for comment. Fox News Digital was not immediately able to reach representatives of the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad through public channels.
