According to the investigation, more than 71% of the collected donations went to finance the military wing of the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas and support the families of suicide bombers, as well as those detained for terrorist activities.
The police made arrests and seized assets worth more than €8 million. Counter-terrorism police and Italian financial units were responsible for the operation.
The investigation was launched following the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Investigators found that the fundraising network had its headquarters in Genoa and branches in Milan.
Among those arrested is the president of the Palestinian Association in Italy, Mohammad Hannoun, who previously denied accusations of financing Hamas. Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi noted the need to respect the presumption of innocence at this stage of the investigation.
Context
Since October 2023, Israel has been waging war against Hamas in response to its attacks on the country, killing civilians and taking hostages.
After lengthy negotiations, the parties reached a ceasefire agreement on January 15, 2025, but hostilities soon resumed. On August 8, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced its intention to fully control the sector.
On September 29, during a meeting at the White House, US President Donald Trump and Netanyahu presented an American plan of action to end Israel’s war against Hamas. It contained 20 points, and Israel agreed to it. Later, the US President repeatedly rushed Hamas to agree to an agreement and threatened consequences. The terrorist group agreed to some conditions, but also put forward its own.
On October 13, in Sharm el-Sheikh (Egypt), Trump, Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani signed a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.
