European Council Creates New Hamas Sanctions Regime

The European Council on Jan. 22 created a new sanctions framework targeting Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement. The bloc also sanctioned six people under the new regime, including various Hamas financiers and a senior Hamas “operative.”

The council noted that the sanctions regime is meant to "target those who support, materially or financially, Hamas or the PIJ" and those who aid in the planning or enabling of Hamas' violent actions by "supplying, selling, or transferring arms and related materials" to the two groups.