The United States Department of Justice has announced a coordinated law-enforcement operation targeting an alleged international network accused of raising and transferring money for Hamas.

The operation, announced on October 2, 2026, involved the unsealing of an indictment against Saleem Alzaq and the arrests of three other men in the United States. Authorities in France also arrested three people described by US prosecutors as associates of Alzaq.

The US suspects arrested were identified as Omar Adhami, Abdel Adhami and Raed Yousef. Alzaq, who is based in Gaza, was charged in the United States, while the three others face separate allegations relating to their alleged financial support for the network.

US Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Justice Department would continue pursuing people accused of providing financial support or assistance to terrorist organisations responsible for attacks against Americans.

The Justice Department alleges that Alzaq operated an international fundraising network from at least 2020, collecting donations from people in different countries, including the United States. Prosecutors allege that the fundraising was presented through social media campaigns as humanitarian assistance for people in Gaza, while the money was instead directed to Hamas.

According to the indictment and related complaints, the alleged network collected more than $1.7 million through purported charitable campaigns from January 2020 onward.

US prosecutors further allege that Abdel Adhami contributed approximately $94,000 to the network between February 2021 and September 2026, while his brother Omar allegedly contributed about $11,000. Raed Yousef, a Florida resident, is accused of providing almost $50,000.

The US authorities also allege that the defendants attempted to conceal some of the transactions through wire transfers and intermediaries. The FBI said the investigation involved tracking financial activity across international borders.

Alzaq faces several federal charges, including conspiracy to provide material support to Hamas, conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to defraud the United States.

The Justice Department said the charges against the other defendants include allegations involving material support, conspiracy, wire fraud and money laundering, depending on the individual case.

The coordinated action also extended to France, where authorities arrested Faouzi Barika, Amel Oualid and Nordine Barika. US prosecutors described them as associates who allegedly assisted with collecting and transferring money connected to Alzaq's fundraising operation.

Blanche said the Justice Department would continue efforts to disrupt terrorist financing networks and pursue people accused of financially supporting terrorist organisations.

The FBI similarly said the investigation demonstrated the importance of international cooperation in tracing suspected financial flows and disrupting funding channels.

The case remains at the allegation stage. The Justice Department expressly stated that an indictment is an accusation and that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.

The arrests represent part of the broader US effort to disrupt alleged financial networks supporting Hamas, particularly those that prosecutors say use international fundraising and purported charitable activities to move money.

Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia