Italian prosecutors on Saturday announced the arrest of nine people suspected of financing the Palestinian militant group Hamas through charity organisations operating in Italy, in a sweeping operation coordinated by the country’s anti-mafia and counterterrorism units.
In a statement, prosecutors in the northern port city of Genoa said the suspects were accused of “belonging to and having financed” Hamas, which the European Union designates as a terrorist organisation. The arrests followed a two-year investigation into the alleged diversion of funds raised under the guise of humanitarian assistance.
According to investigators, around 7 million euros (approximately US$8.24 million) collected over the past two years for charitable purposes were instead channelled to entities linked to Hamas. Italian police said they had seized assets worth more than US$9 million, including bank accounts, properties and other financial holdings connected to the alleged network.
The operation was carried out by Italy’s Guardia di Finanza, working alongside anti-terrorism prosecutors and anti-mafia units, reflecting what authorities described as the increasingly complex overlap between organised crime, extremist financing and transnational money flows. Officials said the suspects used a web of charities and associations to mask the movement of funds, exploiting humanitarian appeals to solicit donations.
The investigation began after Italian financial intelligence units flagged a series of suspicious transactions involving charities registered in Italy. Prosecutors said the probe quickly expanded beyond Italy’s borders, with cooperation from authorities in the Netherlands and several other European Union member states. Coordination was facilitated by Eurojust, the EU’s judicial cooperation agency, underscoring what investigators described as the cross-border nature of the alleged financing network.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni praised the arrests, calling them “a particularly complex and important operation” that exposed how “so-called charity organisations” were allegedly used to fund Hamas. In a statement, Meloni thanked magistrates and law enforcement agencies for their work, saying the case demonstrated Italy’s commitment to combating terrorism financing and protecting international security.
Italy has stepped up scrutiny of financial flows linked to extremist organisations in the wake of the war in Gaza, with authorities warning that humanitarian crises can be exploited by militant groups to raise and launder funds. Prosecutors said the latest operation was part of broader efforts to prevent Italy from being used as a logistical or financial hub for international terrorism.
The Israeli prime minister’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the arrests.
Meloni’s government has been a strong supporter of Israel since the outbreak of the war with Hamas in Gaza, a stance that has sparked large and repeated street protests across Italy. Demonstrations in Rome, Milan and other cities have drawn tens of thousands of people, with protesters accusing the government of backing what they describe as disproportionate military action against Palestinians.
Israel’s assault on Gaza was triggered by a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed around 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies. The ensuing conflict has devastated the Gaza Strip. According to Gaza’s health ministry, more than 71,000 people have been killed in Israeli strikes, figures that include both civilians and fighters.
Italian authorities said the arrests highlighted the importance of vigilance in monitoring charitable organisations, particularly during times of conflict, when public sympathy can be manipulated for illicit ends. Prosecutors added that investigations were ongoing and that further arrests or asset seizures could not be ruled out as inquiries continued into the alleged network’s full scope and international connections.
