FBI Disrupts Hamas Online Network, Seizes Funds and Donor Data

The U.S. Department of Justice announced the dismantling of an international online network used by Hamas to solicit hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations and spread anti-Israel propaganda. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reported hacking into the network, seizing over $560,000 in cryptocurrency, and taking control of servers and domains utilized by Hamas's military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades. U.S. authorities stated this infrastructure was employed by the terrorist group for global fundraising, moving money outside traditional financial systems, and attracting new supporters. The operation also allowed investigators to intercept further donations and identify thousands of individuals who had contacted or donated to Hamas, using both cryptocurrency and conventional payment methods.

The total sum announced by the Justice Department encompasses five operations authorized by federal court orders in Washington since March 2025. The covert operation continued even after Hamas operators realized some of their wallets were frozen and altered their methods. According to FBI affidavits, the investigation began when informants discovered a Telegram message soliciting donations. Agents responded in February 2025, receiving instructions via email to a new cryptocurrency wallet address for USDT stablecoin transfers on the Tron network.

Hamas operatives advised donors to use fictitious recipient details, avoid direct transfers from platforms like Binance, and use various payment processors, with wallet addresses changing frequently. Despite efforts to create untraceable transactions, investigators found that multiple wallets received funds from a single source before consolidating into a central Hamas operational wallet. This wallet reportedly received approximately $1.57 million in USDT between late October 2024 and March 2025. Later FBI documents estimated the network received over $3 million in donations by November 2025, with donation instructions disseminated as late as February 2026.

Some funds were channeled through accounts opened using Lebanese passports, and one was registered to a Palestinian citizen. Initial operations also led to the seizure of accounts linked to Palestinians residing in Turkey and other countries. The FBI's primary online targets included the official website of Hamas's military wing, AlQassam.ps, and domains like AlAqsaFlood.org, which facilitated email services and donation processing. Investigators noted that the infrastructure relied on an Iranian provider until spring 2026 before migrating to data center companies in the U.S., bringing it under American legal jurisdiction. Providers were ordered to block servers, transfer control to the FBI, and redirect users to government servers with confiscation notices.

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Demers stated that gaining control of the infrastructure enables the FBI to intercept donations intended for Hamas and identify thousands of its global sponsors and potential supporters. He added, "These seizures deprive Hamas of resources it depends on to recruit and radicalize people online, and to fund barbaric attacks like the one that occurred on October 7, 2023." The U.S. intends to continue infiltrating Hamas's online networks, seizing its cryptocurrency, and shutting down its websites.