Federal prosecutors in New York unsealed an indictment on Oct. 1, 2026, alleging that more than $1.7 million was funneled to Hamas through a fundraising operation that claimed to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza. The charges name Saleem Alzaq, a 45-year-old Gaza resident and alleged longtime Hamas member, alongside three U.S.-based men who were arrested for their reported involvement in the network. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) stated that hundreds of thousands of dollars were solicited from donors in the United States and France under the guise of funding food and winter necessities.
The investigation, which involved the New York Police Department’s counterterrorism unit, spanned activities from January 2020 through December 2025. According to court documents, investigators utilized an undercover law enforcement officer and monitored social media platforms including Snapchat, Telegram, and Instagram. Prosecutors allege Alzaq used coded language such as "bread" and "bakeries" to discuss transferring money to Hamas, which the U.S. government designates as a foreign terrorist organization.
In addition to Alzaq, who remains at large in Gaza, the DOJ announced the arrests of brothers Abdel Adhami, 35, and Omar Adhami, 33, of Louisiana, and Raed Yousef, 56, of Florida. The Adhami brothers were arrested in September 2026 and are accused of using social media to solicit donations for "the poor and orphans in Gaza" that were instead directed to Hamas. Yousef faces multiple charges including money laundering and passport fraud. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated that the network funneled money to Hamas senior operatives.
According to the indictment, at least $626,000 was raised from donors in the United States. Two brothers in Louisiana allegedly contributed roughly $105,000, while a Florida resident allegedly provided nearly $50,000 to the network. Prosecutors allege the defendants misled donors, instructing them not to reference Hamas in order to prevent payment accounts from being shut down.
The scale of the alleged scheme involved the use of peer-to-peer apps and digital payment platforms to bypass international sanctions. Prosecutors identified coded language used to describe "the Green," which they said was a reference to Hamas.
The Adhami brothers were detained pending a detention hearing and have not yet entered a plea; their attorney did not immediately return a call seeking comment. If convicted, the primary charges of conspiring to provide material support to a terrorist organization and money laundering each carry maximum prison sentences of 20 years. Alzaq faces similar charges in the New York indictment, though his arrest is not expected while he remains in Gaza. Government agencies have not reported a specific trial date.