On April 12, 2024, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced the designation of four Hamas leaders based in Gaza and Lebanon who oversee the group’s offensive cyber and unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) operations. According to OFAC, this action was taken concurrently with the European Union’s imposition of sanctions targeting Hamas. Among the OFAC designees was Hudhayfa Samir ‘Abdallah al-Kahlut who has allegedly served as the spokesman for al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas in Gaza, since at least 2007. The designations also included William Abu Shanab, the commander of Hamas’ Lebanon-based al-Shimali unit responsible for the production and development of automatic 120mm mortars, flight simulators, and UAVs used to gather intelligence and for suicide missions.
The sanctions were imposed pursuant to Executive Order 13224, as amended, which targets terrorist groups and their supporters. As a result of these designations, all property and interests in property of the designated persons within the United States or within the possession or control of a U.S. person are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions involving a designated person. Entities owned 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked.