Italy arrests 7 accused of raising millions for Hamas

Italian police said Saturday that they have arrested seven people suspected of raising millions of euros for Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Police also issued international arrests for two others outside the country.

Three associations, officially supporting Palestinian civilians but allegedly serving as a front for funding Hamas, are implicated in the investigation, ssaid a police statement.

The nine individuals are accused of having financed approximately seven million euros ($8 million) to "associations based in Gaza, the Palestinian territories, or Israel, owned, controlled, or linked to Hamas."

While the official objective of the three associations was to collect donations "for humanitarian purposes for the Palestinian people," more than 71 percent was earmarked for the direct financing of Hamas" or entities affiliated with the Islamist movement, according to police.

Some of the money went to "family members implicated in terrorist attacks," the statement said.

Among those arrested was Mohammad Hannoun, president of the Palestinian Association in Italy, according to media reports.

Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi posted on X that the operation "lifted the veil on behaviour and activities which, pretending to be initiatives in favor of the Palestinian population, concealed support for and participation in terrorist organizations."