The U.S. Department of the Treasury has sanctioned Mohammed Khatib — the Belgium-based European coordinator of Samidoun — along with three other individuals linked to a pro-Hamas flotilla and Hamas-aligned Muslim Brotherhood networks, in one of Washington’s most sweeping counterterrorism designation actions of 2026.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced the designations on May 19, 2026, targeting individuals operating across Spain, Belgium, Jordan, and Egypt. The action falls under Executive Order 13224 — the cornerstone counterterrorism authority invoked against those who commit, support, or pose a significant risk of committing acts of terrorism threatening U.S. national security.

The full scope of today’s action and official designation details are available at the U.S. Treasury press release (sb0501).

Sanctioning Organizers of the Pro-Hamas Maritime Campaign

Central to today’s action is the ongoing effort by the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA) — a U.S.-designated entity — to organize a so-called humanitarian flotilla bound for Gaza. Treasury has repeatedly warned that such maritime campaigns, when organized by or in support of designated terrorist groups, represent a significant compliance risk for financial institutions worldwide.

The PCPA, according to Treasury, was established with funding from Hamas’s International Relations Bureau. Hamas directs its activity through the placement of officials throughout the organization, including its executive body. The flotilla is therefore not a neutral humanitarian venture, but an extension of Hamas’s political and propaganda infrastructure, according to the designation.

A Fundraising Front for a Designated Terrorist Organization

Samidoun presents itself publicly as a Palestinian prisoner solidarity network, but Treasury has identified it as a front organization for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) — a U.S.-designated terrorist group. Samidoun serves as a fundraising platform in countries where the PFLP otherwise faces legal restrictions, operating under the cover of civil society and humanitarian advocacy.

Mohammed Khatib’s designation as Samidoun’s Belgium-based European coordinator is particularly significant. Belgium has been a focal point of European activism around the Palestinian cause, and Khatib’s role gave him influence over Samidoun’s operations across the continent.

Dismantling Hamas’s Ideological and Operational Web

Beyond the flotilla organizers, OFAC moved against actors embedded within Hamas-aligned Muslim Brotherhood networks — organizations that provide the terrorist group with ideological cover, financial flows, and operational support.

Marwan Abu Ras and the Palestinian Scholars Association were designated for acting on behalf of Hamas. In 2014, senior Hamas leaders merged several religious bodies to create a coordinating umbrella organization to ensure all religious discourse in Gaza aligns with Hamas ideology. Marwan Abu Ras was appointed to lead it — and the late Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was personally involved in directing his activities.

Also designated were Karim Sayed Ahmed Moghny — a leading Hamas operative who directed militant activity, provided covert training, and collaborated with HASM, an Egypt-based violent offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood — and Muhammad Jamal Hassan al-Najjar, a Hamas operative involved in acquiring weapons, planning attacks, and funding Hamas member salaries. Egypt-based HASM member Sherif Ahmed Ewis Ahmed was also designated for his role in acquiring explosives and weapons alongside al-Najjar.

What the Designations Mean in Practice

Treasury also reiterated its commitment to the legitimate humanitarian sector, noting that its regulatory framework and ongoing engagement with nonprofits is designed to ease the flow of genuine humanitarian aid to conflict zones — while ensuring that terrorist groups cannot exploit those same channels.

For Faith & Freedom News readers following the intersection of terror financing, religious freedom, and global security, today’s designations represent a significant expansion of Washington’s effort to hold Hamas’s international support architecture accountable — from the shores of Belgium and Spain to the corridors of Jordan’s Palestinian diaspora organizations. Full details and the official SDN list updates are available at home.treasury.gov.