US calls on UK to expand crackdown on Hamas financing

LONDON — A senior Biden administration official on Friday urged the British government to expand its sanctions on militant group Hamas following its attacks in Israel this month.

During a visit to London, Deputy Secretary to the U.S. Treasury Wally Adeyemo announced new U.S. sanctions targeting Hamas-linked officials and financial networks.

“Today’s action targets additional assets in Hamas’s investment portfolio and individuals who facilitate sanctions evasion,” said Adeyemo, making the announcement at the Royal United Services Institute defense think tank in London.

Adeyemo said he is “meeting with our U.K. colleagues today to expand our efforts,” and revealed he met with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s national security advisor early Friday. He said he will also meet with officials in the British Treasury and Foreign Office to coordinate new sanctions to cut off funding to the terrorist group.

Adeyemo is visiting London, Brussels and Berlin in the coming days to coordinate new sanctions.

“In this work the United States has no better partners than the United Kingdom,” Adeyemo said, adding the two nations “continue to stand together” following a raft of sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.

“Today’s designations also underscore the critical role Iran plays in providing financial, logistical, and operational support to Hamas,” Adeyemo said.

Among those sanctioned are Hamas’ representative in Iran, Khaled Qaddoumi, who lives in Tehran, companies owned by Sudan-based Hamas financier Abdelbasit Hamza Elhassan Mohamed Khair, and the Gaza-based Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ)-affiliated Al-Ansar Charity Association.

The move builds on an initial round of sanctions on Hamas operatives and financial groups announced October 18.