Defense Minister Israel Katz today (Wednesday) imposed sanctions on a campaign aimed at raising funds to finance a flotilla - organized by the terrorist organization Hamas, in cooperation with other international organizations and under the guise of a humanitarian aid flotilla.
The sanctions were imposed as part of the economic campaign led by the security establishment against Hamas and against attempts to destabilize the Gaza Strip, in which the US is also involved, and after intensive activity by the Navy, Military Intelligence and the National Headquarters for Economic Combating Terrorism in the Ministry of Defense.
The flotilla, which set off from several countries, including Turkey, Spain, and Italy, includes over 100 ships and approximately 1,000 participants.
According to the Defense Ministry, "the flotilla violates UN Resolution 2803, which stipulated that aid to Gaza should enter through accepted official channels, and therefore undermines the settlement efforts led by the Trump administration as part of efforts for regional stability.".
At the forefront of open communication is an organization (GSF) that raises funds to purchase ships and participants. These are steps that are taken in a manner that is not transparent to the public and not necessarily legally.
Thus, recently, elements of the organization were arrested in Tunisia on suspicion of money laundering and corruption, and the organization's leaders were detained in several places on these suspicions.
The imposition of sanctions on the crowdfunding campaign constitutes a significant step in the fight to disrupt the sources of funding for the flotilla, which, as mentioned, is being organized by Hamas under the guise of a humanitarian flotilla, and is intended to deter donors from donating to a terrorist organization.
