Italian authorities have dismantled an alleged Hamas financing network operating under the cover of charitable organisations, arresting nine suspects and seizing more than €8 million in assets in a nationwide counterterrorism operation.

Police and the Guardia di Finanza carried out the arrests and seizures as part of an investigation coordinated by the Genoa District Anti-Mafia and Anti-Terrorism Directorate. Prosecutors say the network raised at least €7.3 million for Hamas through three Italy based associations operating in Genoa and Milan.

According to investigators, the probe began before the Hamas led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023 and uncovered what prosecutors described as a complex system of international financial transfers designed to channel funds to the Palestinian militant group. Seven of the suspects are alleged to be members of Hamas’ foreign operations wing, while two others are accused of providing logistical and financial support.

Authorities said the funds were used not only to finance Hamas’ broader activities but also to support the families of individuals involved in suicide attacks or those imprisoned for terrorism related offences. Prosecutors argue that such financial assistance helped strengthen Hamas’ operational capacity and sustain its militant infrastructure.

Genoa’s chief prosecutor, Nicola Piacente, said seven of the nine arrest warrants were executed in Italy. The remaining two suspects are believed to be in Turkey and Gaza, and international cooperation efforts are ongoing to locate them.

Hamas is designated as a terrorist organisation by the European Union, the United States, and several other countries. European security agencies have intensified scrutiny of alleged terror financing networks since the outbreak of the Gaza war, warning that charitable fronts are increasingly being used to move funds across borders.

Italian authorities said the investigation remains ongoing and further arrests or asset seizures cannot be ruled out.