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Hamas external European operations
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Hamas external European operations consist of attempted attacks, logistical and financial activities. Recent reports uncover that even though Hamas is widely designated terrorist organization among European countries, it has about 30 affiliated organizations and individuals across the continent, in countries like the United Kingdom, Germany, Turkey, Denmark, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands.
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Background
Hamas is a Palestinian Islamist organization that originated from the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt,[1][2] and is also backed by Iran,[3][4][5] has been designated as a terrorist organization by the European Union since 2003.[6][7] In January 2024, the EU further established a sanctions regime targeting individuals and entities who support, fund, or enable Hamas in any capacity, freezing assets, and banning transactions.[6][7] While Hamas say they have not operated outside the borders of "historic Palestine" (meaning Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip),[8][9] recent reports show that they are indeed operating in Europe.[10][11][12][13] As of 2025, according to reports, Hamas has yet to carry out a successful terror attack in Europe, not for lack of trying, but due to the counter terror efforts throughout the continent, by counterterror authorities.[10]
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Notable events
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Germany
In December 2023, four Hamas members were arrested in Germany. Later they were charged of seeking weapon cashes for attacking Jewish institutions.[13] In October 2024, German authorities charged them for setting up weapon depots across Europe, one depot dating back to 2019.[14][15]
On 1 October 2025, three Hamas members were arrested in Berlin, for planning attack on Jewish sites in Germany. According to the prosecutors the three were seeking to buy weapons and in the raid, among the weapons found was an AK-47 and ammunition.[16][17]
Denmark
In December 2023, Danish authorities in cooperation with German and Dutch officials, arrested three people linked to Hamas who were accused of plotting acts of terror against Jewish targets in Europe.[18][19] According to the Danish Security and Intelligence Service (PET) the network was to collaborate with foreign entities to execute those attacks.[18]
Danish intelligence reported that Hamas members in the country worked with Danish Loyal to Familia (LtF) criminal group. One main suspect, a Danish member of LtF, escaped to Lebanon and reportedly met Hamas officials there. He was later extradited to Denmark and charged in May 2025 with terrorism crimes connecting gang violence and Hamas activities.[10][20][21]
In its 2024 report, Danish security service PET warned that the Israel–Hamas war could bring in "new actors" to Danish terrorism cases, specifically mentioning Hamas. The charges presented on May 2025, linked Danish suspects to a wider European weapons network, that was run by Hamas’s foreign operations team in Lebanon. This network stored weapons and planned attacks in several European cities, including Berlin and Copenhagen.[10][21]
Turkey
Hamas has been operating in Turkey since 2011, as Turkey never designated the organization as a terrorist organization. Instead, Erdoğan's Turkey regards it as a resistance group. Former Hamas leaders like Ismail Haniyeh and Saleh al-Arouri used to operate freely from Turkey.[22][23][24] These conditions enabled Hamas to establish financial and logistical infrastructure in Turkey to launder money, recruit operatives, and plan attacks on Israeli targets. Reports of the Israeli intelligence reveal multiple cases linking Hamas's Turkish operations to plots targeting Israeli officials and assets, including the October 7 attacks.[10][25][26]
The Global Sumud Flotilla
According to documents presented by the Israeli government, Hamas is behind the Global Sumud Flotilla. Documents show letters dating back to 2021 signed by then Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh to the Palestinian Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA), that was established in Istanbul 2017.[27] The letters endorse the organization to organize such a flotilla. Even though Hamas denies connection to the flotilla, the documents also reveal operatives affiliated with Hamas, who are involved in the flotilla's funding and operation, including the CEO of a Spanish maritime company that owns many of the flotilla's ships.[28][29][27]
Belgium
Hamas operates in Belgium using shell companies and organizations that pretend to support the Palestinian cause. Belgian Justice Minister Paul Van Tigchelt said the authorities are watching them, even though as of 2025, Belgium has yet to take major actions against them.[30][31][32] This worries some politicians and Jewish groups calling for stricter controls. The main Hamas-linked figure is Majed Al-Zeer, who leads EUPAC and has ties to Hamas leaders. Their activities involve using legitimate appearing nonprofits to channel money and influence across Europe, making Belgium a hub for Hamas's clandestine operations in the region.[33][34][35]
Italy
In 2021 an Italian bank closed the accounts of an NGO organization, led by Mohammad Hannoun, with ties to Hamas. The investigation was based on suspicion of money laundering unregistered transfers to blacklisted individuals in Palestine.[36]
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See also
References
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