U.S. Charges Hamas Leader Over Oct. 7 Attack

U.S. Charges Hamas Leader Over Oct. 7 Attack

Benjamin Barry

Staff Writer

On September 3, 2024, the United States Department of Justice unsealed seven criminal charges against six of the highest-ranking Hamas leaders. According to The Associated Press, the charges were originally filed under seal in February but were unsealed due to recent events. 

The charges detail the pre-planned terrorist event on October 7, 2024, as well as other attacks dating back to 2001. In the complaint, October 7 was described as the “most violent, large-scale terrorist attack” in the history of the Israel-Hamas conflict, reports the AP. It also charges the defendants with conspiracy to finance and aid terrorism, as well as conspiracy to murder citizens of the United States, according to the United States Department of Justice. 

Defendants in the case include Yahya Sinwar, the current leader of Hamas based in the Gaza Strip, along with five other top Hamas leaders. Three of the six charged are believed to be deceased by both Israel and the U.S., while the others remain at large. Sinwar is believed to have been hiding in tunnels beneath the Gaza Strip since the war began. He has not been in the public eye since the October 7 terrorist attack, according to the \CNN. 

Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an American citizen taken hostage by Hamas on October 7, was recently found by the Israeli Defense Forces, along with five other hostages,  reports the Times of Israel. All six were found slaughtered by the terrorist group. The death of another American citizen contributed to the decision to issue the complaints at this time. Goldberg-Polin was memorialized in Jerusalem on September 2, 2024, two days after his body was recovered from Gaza.

The October 7 attacks were the deadliest assault in Israeli history, carried out by the militant group Hamas. The Times of Israel recounts this reporting that over 1,200 were murdered, and 251 innocent people taken hostage. In addition, at least 43 American citizens were killed, and at least 10 were taken hostage. During the massacre, Hamas committed numerous acts of sexual violence, including raping and mutilating the genitals of countless women and children. War continues in the Gaza Strip with Israel’s main goal being to free the hostages and eliminate Hamas. Many innocent deaths have also occurred on the Palestinian side, largely due to Hamas using the citizens of Gaza as human shields, operating and fighting from civilian areas like hospitals, mosques, and schools. 

CBS News details the background of the defendants, starting with Sinwar. Among those believed to be deceased are Mohammad Al-Masri, commander in chief of Hamas’ military wing, the al-Qassam Brigaders, reportedly killed in July; and Marwan Issa, deputy commander of the al-Qassam Brigades. Another defendant, Ismail Haniyeh,  former leader of Hamas’ Politburo, the political branch of Hamas, was killed in an Israeli airstrike while attending the Iranian president’s inauguration. Khaled Meshaal, who heads  Hamas’ diaspora office and operates the official presence outside of Palestine, is based in Qatar, while Ali Baraka, Hamas’ representative in Lebanon, oversees the group’s National Relations Abroad. 

Conflict in the region, especially between the Israelis and Palestinians, is longstanding. Many peace efforts have been attempted, though many have been denied by the Palestinian side, reports BBC News. Israel has repeatedly offered ceasefires in exchange for the release of the hostages and the surrender of Hamas as the ruling party in Gaza. The AP reports that these new charges are unlikely to affect negotiations, as arrest warrants already sought by the International War Crimes Court have had no effect. The most recent offer by the Israelis was safe passage out of Gaza for Yahya Sinwar in exchange for the release of the 97 hostages still left, reports CNN. 

Image courtesy of Getty Images