The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday announced criminal charges against Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and other senior militants in connection with the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
The DOJ’s seven-count criminal complaint was filed in federal court in New York City, and it includes charges of conspiracy to murder U.S. nationals, conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction and conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.
The charges come as the White House says it is developing a new cease-fire and hostage deal proposal with its Egyptian and Qatari counterparts aimed at halting the nearly year-long conflict in Gaza.
“The Justice Department has charged Yahya Sinwar and other senior leaders of Hamas for financing, directing, and overseeing a decades-long campaign to murder American citizens and endanger the national security of the United States,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar speaks during a meeting with leaders of Palestinian factions at his office in Gaza City, on April 13, 2022. On Tuesday, the U.S. announced criminal charges against Sinwar and other senior militants.
AP Photo/Adel Hana
Garland continued: “On October 7th, Hamas terrorists, led by these defendants, murdered nearly 1200 people, including over 40 Americans, and kidnapped hundreds of civilians. This weekend, we learned that Hamas murdered an additional six people they had kidnapped and held captive for nearly a year, including Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a 23-year-old Israeli-American.
“We are investigating Hersh’s murder, and each and every one of Hamas’ brutal murders of Americans, as an act of terrorism. The charges unsealed today are just one part of our effort to target every aspect of Hamas’ operations. These actions will not be our last.”
The charges are the first such effort by U.S. law enforcement to punish Hamas for the attack, though the move is seen as largely symbolic since Sinwar is said to be in hiding while two of the other defendants are believed to have been killed, including former Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
The complaint had initially been filed under seal in February, in an attempt to capture Haniyeh. However, following Haniyeh’s death and shifts in the region, the Justice Department opted to make the details public.
In the announcement of the charges, the DOJ also accused Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah of giving assistance to Hamas for the October 7 attack.
On October 7, Hamas led the deadliest Palestinian attack on Israel in history. Israel subsequently launched its heaviest airstrikes against Gaza. As of Tuesday, at least 1,200 people have been killed in Israel, the Associated Press reported, per the Israeli government. More than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, per the Gaza Health Ministry, according to the outlet.
Despite the gravity of the charges, a senior U.S. official who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity confirmed they do not expect it to disrupt the ongoing negotiations.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
Update: 9/3/24, 7:30 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
