US Justice Department Announces Criminal Charges Against Hamas Leaders Over October 7 Attacks

The United States has charged six leaders of the Palestinian group Hamas with various terrorism-related offenses. The charges, unsealed on September 3, include conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, conspiracy to murder US nationals, and conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction resulting in death. The indictment accuses the six men, including Yahya Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh, of orchestrating the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that killed over 1,100 people and triggered an Israeli assault on Gaza that resulted in the deaths of over 40,800 Palestinians. The charges also accuse Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah of providing financial support and weapons, including rockets, to Hamas. The US Attorney-General, Merrick Garland, stated that the charges relate to a "decades-long campaign to murder American citizens." This is the first formal action taken by American law enforcement against Hamas.