Five people in France have been indicted for transferring funds to Hamas under the cover of humanitarian aid to Palestinians, France's National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) confirmed to The Jerusalem Post on Monday.
According to PNAT, five individuals were brought before the court on February 20 and were formally charged with financing Hamas under the guise of humanitarian work. The following details were confirmed by PNAT to the Post:
The investigation into the associations Comité de Bienfaisance et de soutien de la Palestine (CBSP) - which later became Soutien Humani’Terre - and Humani’Terre began on 3 November 2023. The two organizations were suspected of financing a terrorist enterprise, criminal terrorist conspiracy, and organized money laundering in connection with a terrorist enterprise.
The investigations were assigned to the anti-terrorism section of the criminal brigade of the Paris police prefecture, the General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI), and the Central Office for Combating Major Financial Crime (OCRGDF).
While the stated purposes of Soutien Humani’Terre and Humani’Terre are to support Palestinian populations living in refugee camps in the West Bank, Lebanon, and Gaza, members of their executive boards were suspected of channeling funds to Hamas under the cover of humanitarian aid.
The context behind the indictment
An initial operation on 31 January 2024 involved searches at the associations’ headquarters and at the homes of current or former board members. This led to the seizure of computer equipment, including the association’s server, and numerous accounting documents listing French, European, Palestinian, and Jordanian associations that were recipients of funds.
Nearly €40 million was also seized: approximately €35 million from the association’s bank accounts or in the form of bank checks, and more than €5 million in cash at the association’s headquarters and its branches in Paris, Lille, Lyon, and Marseille.
After analysing the seized digital materials, as well as evidence obtained through international cooperation with Italy, the United States, and Israel, and their translation, authorities carried out a second search on 16 February 2025, during which five individuals were taken into police custody.
With the assistance of AGRASC (the agency responsible for managing and recovering seized and confiscated assets), two properties, in Paris and La Courneuve, were also seized.
On February 20, 2026, the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office requested the opening of a judicial investigation on charges of financing a terrorist enterprise, organized breach of trust, and laundering of organized breach of trust in connection with a terrorist enterprise.
The investigations will now continue under the direction of three anti-terrorism investigating judges, and the five individuals remain under judicial supervision.