President Trump’s Treasury Department sanctioned four individuals tied to a Gaza-bound flotilla and took action against operatives within Hamas-aligned Muslim Brotherhood networks, calling the flotilla a “pro-terror” operation designed to undermine American peace efforts in the region.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent did not mince words.

The action was announced May 19 by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and coordinated with the State Department.

The official accusations go far beyond a protest stunt on the open sea. Treasury said the flotilla was organized by the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA), a U.S.-designated entity that officials say is clandestinely controlled by sanctioned Palestinian terrorist organizations.

Treasury laid out the official basis for the sanctions in detail.

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Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is taking action against four individuals associated with the pro-Hamas flotilla organized by the U.S.-designated Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA) that is attempting to access Gaza in support of Hamas.

OFAC is also taking action against key actors operating within Hamas-aligned Muslim Brotherhood networks. Hamas relies on a diverse web of international partners to expand its malign political influence, facilitate violent terrorist activity, and undermine international efforts to achieve lasting peace in Gaza.

Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent called the flotilla a “ludicrous attempt” to undermine President Trump’s progress toward lasting peace and said Treasury would continue to sever Hamas’ global financial support networks wherever they operate.

Treasury said Samidoun and the PCPA are clandestinely controlled by, or act on behalf of, sanctioned Palestinian terrorist organizations. It described Samidoun as a PFLP front and said the PCPA was established with funding from Hamas’s International Relations Bureau.

Treasury designated Saif Hashim Kamel Abukishek and Hisham Abdallah Sulayman Abu Mahfuz for being leaders or officials of PCPA, and Mohammed Khatib and Jaldia Abubakra Aueda for being leaders or officials of Samidoun.

The action blocks U.S.-based property and interests in property of the designated persons and generally bars U.S. persons from transactions involving them unless authorized or exempt.

Treasury designated Saif Hashim Kamel Abukishek and Hisham Abdallah Sulayman Abu Mahfuz for being leaders or officials of PCPA.

Mohammed Khatib and Jaldia Abubakra Aueda were designated for being leaders or officials of Samidoun, which Treasury described as a front organization for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).

Treasury said Samidoun serves as a fundraising platform in countries where the PFLP otherwise faces legal restrictions. The PCPA claims it represents the Palestinian diaspora, but Treasury said it was established with funding from Hamas’s International Relations Bureau and that Hamas directs its activity through officials placed throughout the organization.

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All property and interests in property of the designated persons in the United States are now blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from conducting transactions with them.

The Trump administration framed the sanctions as part of a broader strategy to dismantle networks that hide behind humanitarian or civil society branding while advancing Hamas’s agenda.

Fox News added more context on the Trump administration action.

The Trump administration accused Hamas of using activist and Muslim Brotherhood-linked networks to support a Gaza-bound flotilla and sanctioned several organizers tied to the effort.

The sanctions package, announced by the Treasury and State departments, also targeted activists associated with Samidoun, an anti-Israel activist network that U.S. officials describe as a front for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), along with operatives tied to Muslim Brotherhood networks aligned with Hamas.

The State Department said the designations target three categories of what it described as Hamas enablers: organizers of a Hamas-backed flotilla attempting to reach Gaza, operatives within Hamas-aligned Muslim Brotherhood networks that facilitate violent terrorist attacks and coordinators tied to Samidoun.

“Hamas uses these enablers to sustain 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 purported civil society groups to advance its malign agenda while claiming humanitarian objectives.”

Fox said the sanctions freeze any U.S.-based assets of designated individuals and generally prohibit Americans and U.S.-based entities from conducting business with them.

Fox News Digital reached out to Samidoun for comment and said it was unable to immediately reach representatives for Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad through publicly available channels.

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Fox also noted the move lands as a warning shot at a broader activist ecosystem in the U.S., including a nexus between Islamist and pro-communist organizations that have championed the flotilla campaign.

Treasury also accused Karim Sayed Ahmed Moghny of directing militant activity and training operatives in covert operations, funds transfers, and military techniques as part of the Hamas-aligned Muslim Brotherhood network actions.

On the same day Treasury announced its sanctions, Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla vessels at sea.

The Associated Press reported what happened when Israeli forces intercepted the vessels.

Israeli forces on Tuesday intercepted all remaining vessels from an activist flotilla attempting to challenge Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza.

A live feed on the Global Sumud Flotilla website showed armed Israeli soldiers boarding the vessels as activists in life vests put their hands up. Soldiers then destroyed cameras mounted on the vessels.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry said that no live ammunition was fired. In a statement late Tuesday, it added that “non-lethal means” were aimed toward the vessels as a warning, but without targeting or injuring protesters.

Israel has called the flotilla “a provocation for the sake of provocation” with no real intent to deliver aid to Gaza. The boats carry a symbolic amount of aid.

The flotilla said 428 detained activists from over 40 nations remained “unaccounted for.” Israel’s Foreign Ministry said all 430 activists had been transferred to Israeli vessels and were heading to Israel, where they would be able to meet with consular representatives.

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The same account identified the sanctioned flotilla-linked activists as Saif Abu Keshek, Jaldia Abubakra Aueda, Hisham Abdallah Sulayman Abu Mahfuz, and Mohammed Khatib.

Israel called the flotilla “a provocation for the sake of provocation” with no real intent to deliver aid, saying the boats carried only a symbolic amount.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry said all 430 activists were transferred to Israeli vessels and were heading to Israel to meet with consular representatives. Israel has maintained a sea blockade of Gaza since Hamas took control of the territory in 2007.

The Trump administration’s message here is direct: slapping a humanitarian label on an operation does not protect the people and networks behind it when officials say those networks trace back to Hamas, the PFLP, and the Muslim Brotherhood.

Treasury is following the money and the names, and the designations carry real consequences for anyone in the U.S. financial system who touches them.

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at WLTReport. View the original article here.

 

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