Raid in Italy: Nine Hamas supporters arrested!

Raid in Italy: Nine Hamas supporters arrested!

In a comprehensive operation against Islamist terrorism, Italian police arrested nine suspected Hamas supporters on December 27, 2025. This operation, called “Domino,” comes as part of growing international efforts to combat terrorist financing. The arrests are a clear indication of how deeply rooted such networks are in the European landscape.

As part of the operation, assets worth eight million euros were seized by the financial police. Among those arrested is the president of the Palestinian Association of Italy, described as the head of Hamas' Italian cell. According to the investigation, for over two decades he ran a money collection system that was often disguised as humanitarian aid. In fact, according to the relevant authorities, most of the funds allocated to him went to financing terrorist activities, not to direct support to the people in need as originally claimed.

A network under suspicion

The arrests come amid an intensive investigation into suspicious financial transactions and wiretapping. Three organizations are now being investigated that are allegedly involved in the fundraising and transfer system. An important detail is that the president is accused of having transferred more than seven million euros, especially since the events of October 7, 2023. Some of these funds are said to have been used to support the family members of suicide bombers, which increases the explosiveness of the case.

The investigators report a structured European network for raising money in which the Italian cell plays an important role. This type of financing confirms the concerns that security authorities in various countries have regarding terrorist financing.

Terror financing and its global entanglements

But what is behind these flows of money? Hamas, along with IS, is one of the largest Islamist organizations that raise money from supporters worldwide. Propaganda channels also play a central role. Money is often disguised as humanitarian aid, while some of the funds are used to finance terrorist actions. Large movements are also taking place in Germany, where donations are processed according to strict guidelines as a financial contribution to support the terrorist organization. For example, it is unclear how much money actually flows to these groups. Funds are often transferred via alternative payment methods such as bank transfers, Paypal or cash transfers through means such as Western Union - often involving complicated networks and intermediaries in third countries such as Turkey.

Concerns about Hamas' funding are heightened by reports that states such as Qatar and Iran support Islamist groups. The federal government has also taken measures in recent years to make money flows more transparent. A central concern is to take action against terrorist financing with adapted laws.

In the wake of these developments, international cooperation between countries, including the Netherlands and the European judicial authority Eurojust, shows how serious the fight against this form of crime is. The events in Italy are therefore not only of local significance, but are part of a broader international effort to undermine Islamist terrorism and hold those responsible to account.