Regarding the militant Palestinian organization’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, the United States on Tuesday revealed a number of “terrorism” and other charges against six Hamas commanders. Six organisation leaders are named in the February 1 indictment sheet, including late political figure Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated in Tehran in late July, and Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar. In addition to six other charges, they are charged with “conspiracy to provide material support for acts of terrorism resulting in death.” According to a Justice Department official, the charges were submitted under seal “to position the United States to be ready to take into custody” Haniyeh and the other defendants.

The official gave two reasons for the unsealing: Haniyeh’s death, which Iran and Hamas claim was an Israeli assassination, and vague “recent developments in the region.” Washington has classified Hamas as a “terrorist organisation” since 1997. On October 7, the Palestinian militant group took control of the Gaza Strip and began an unprecedented and bloody war against Israel. The complaint states that at least forty-three American citizens were killed in the attacks, and that 10 or more Americans went missing or were taken prisoner. The accusations that were made public today are only a portion of our larger plan to disrupt every facet of Hamas’ activities. In a statement, US Attorney General Merrick Garland stated, “These actions will not be our last.”

According to Garland, US officials were also looking into the death of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli-American man of 23 who was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7. His and the other five captives’ deaths were declared over the weekend. “We are looking into Hersh’s murder as well as all of Hamas’s horrific American killings as acts of terrorism,” Garland declared. Muhammad Al-Masri, the former commander in chief of the al-Qassam Brigades, who is said to have passed away in July, was charged alongside Sinwar and Haniyeh.

Garland claimed that US investigators were also investigating into the 23-year-old Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin’s death after he was abducted on October 7 by Hamas. Over the weekend, word spread that he and the other five prisoners had died. “We are looking into Hersh’s murder as well as all of Hamas’s horrific American killings as acts of terrorism,” Garland announced. Alongside Sinwar and Haniyeh, Muhammad Al-Masri, the erstwhile commander in chief of the al-Qassam Brigades, who is believed to have died in July, was also charged.

Garland asserted that US officials were looking into the killing of Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, who was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7. Word got out over the weekend that he and the other five inmates had perished. “We are looking into Hersh’s murder as well as all of Hamas’s horrific American killings as acts of terrorism,” Garland declared. Muhammad Al-Masri, the former commander in chief of the al-Qassam Brigades, who is said to have passed away in July, was also accused with Sinwar and Haniyeh.