U.S. charges Hamas leaders with terrorism in connection with Oct. 7 attacks

Six senior leaders of Hamas, including the militant group’s political head Yahya Sinwar, were charged with terrorism and other crimes in connection with the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, the U.S. Justice Department announced Tuesday.

Other members of the group charged in the indictment include Ismail Haniyeh, Mohammad al-Masri, Marwan Issa, Khaled Meshaal and Ali Baraka. They were charged with conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization resulting in death, conspiracy to murder U.S. nationals and other alleged crimes.

In a news release, the Department of Justice identified the defendants as senior leaders of Hamas who have played a key role in overseeing a decadeslong campaign of terrorism, including on Oct. 7.

“Hamas, led by these defendants, committed its most violent, large-scale attack to date” on that day, Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a video statement.

Sinwar, who has led Hamas in Gaza since roughly 2017, became the group’s political leader earlier this month after Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Iran.

Before his killing, Haniyeh was chairman of Hamas’ politburo and led Hamas in Gaza, the Justice Department said.

Al-Masri, also known as Mohammed Deif, was commander-in-chief of Hamas’ military wing, Qassam Brigades, the department said. Earlier this month, Israel’s military said it had killed the military leader in an air strike that left at least 90 others dead.

Issa was deputy commander of the Qassam Brigades until his reported death in March, the department said. Issa also died in an Israeli airstrike, according to the BBC, which cited White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.

Meshaal, 68, leads Hamas’ diaspora office and is responsible for the group’s presence outside of Gaza and the West Bank, the department said, noting that he is based in Qatar.

Baraka, 57, leads Hamas’ National Relations Abroad and is responsible for the group’s foreign relations, according to the complaint.

The complaint points to public statements from the defendants supporting Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, including a speech from Haniyeh announcing the attack and an Oct. 8 media interview with Baraka in which he described Hamas’ social and civic activities as a ruse aimed at making it appear as though they were focused on governing in Gaza.