Khaled Hussein is allegedly a member of the London-based Islamic Thinkers Society, an alias for al-Muhajiroun, a U.K.-designated terror group. Hussein, a Canadian national, is reportedly a close associate of former al-Muhajiroun leader Anjem Choudary, an internationally designated Islamist cleric and convicted ISIS supporter.Peter Zimonjic, “Canadian, 28, charged under U.K. terrorism act after arrest at Heathrow,” CBC News, July 24, 2023, https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/anjem-choudary-khaled-hussein-charged-1.6915737.

According to media reports, Hussein is a resident of Edmonton, Canada and had joined al-Muhajiroun sometime around 2021. At some point after joining the group, Hussein reportedly became a close associate of Choudary and, according to court records, was “in effect working for him.”Peter Zimonjic, “Canadian, 28, charged under U.K. terrorism act after arrest at Heathrow,” CBC News, July 24, 2023, https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/anjem-choudary-khaled-hussein-charged-1.6915737. During his time with al-Muhajiroun, Hussein primarily focused on work in “the online space to provide a platform for the words and messages of the organisation.”Tristan Kirk, “Anjem Choudary in court over claims he ‘directed’ a terrorist group, Evening Standard, July 24, 2023, https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/anjem-choudary-court-over-claims-070902679.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAE__JZUPlsbCKnnJ-LpT7xJbJx61tShxEylpDuGuqWuf1eaECOHUQxyuz2CRKfyco5rP1rwWQfOaWOYWQXxySKgfef-UZWsrDSlDeEOoG0PL4DEM_bJ0ILGwB5ppk6b8w_6wVa-MPAm7FXZdVTZjEg-IJjZ7xsOcWeJkjouZhqQM.

Under two aliases—Al Ghurabaa and Saved Sect—al-Muhajiroun was first proscribed by the U.K. in 2006 for glorifying terrorism.“Explanatory Memorandum To The Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) Order 2006,” U.K. Home Office, July 2006,  https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2006/2016/pdfs/uksiem_20062016_en.pdf. The ban was further expanded in 2010 to include other aliases of the group, including al-Muhajiroun.Sean Seddon and Daniel Sandford, “Anjem Choudary in court over 'terror group' charges,” July 24, 2023, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-66287379.

Following an investigation into al-Muhajiroun membership, U.K. counterterrorism detectives arrested Hussein on July 17, 2023, at London’s Heathrow Airport. Hussein was charged with suspicion of terrorism offenses.Peter Zimonjic, “Canadian, 28, charged under U.K. terrorism act after arrest at Heathrow,” CBC News, July 24, 2023, https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/anjem-choudary-khaled-hussein-charged-1.6915737. Choudary was arrested at his London home that same day.“Radical British preacher Anjem Choudary is charged with directing a terrorist organization,” Associated Press, July 24, 2023, https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/radical-british-preacher-anjem-choudary-charged-directing-terrorist-101606712.

On July 24, 2023, England’s Crown Prosecution Service charged Hussein with membership in a proscribed organization.Peter Zimonjic, “Canadian, 28, charged under U.K. terrorism act after arrest at Heathrow,” CBC News, July 24, 2023, https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/anjem-choudary-khaled-hussein-charged-1.6915737. Both men are scheduled to appear at the Central Criminal Court in London on August 4, 2023.Peter Zimonjic, “Canadian, 28, charged under U.K. terrorism act after arrest at Heathrow,” CBC News, July 24, 2023, https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/anjem-choudary-khaled-hussein-charged-1.6915737. According to the U.K. Terrorism Act 2000, those found guilty of membership in a proscribed organization face a maximum of 14 years in prison.Peter Zimonjic, “Canadian, 28, charged under U.K. terrorism act after arrest at Heathrow,” CBC News, July 24, 2023, https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/anjem-choudary-khaled-hussein-charged-1.6915737; “Terrorism Act 2000,” U.K. Legislation, July 24, 2023, https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/11/section/11.

Abdullahi Osman Mohamed is a U.S.-designated al-Shabaab senior explosives expert.“Abdullahi Osman Mohamed,” Rewards for Justice, July 15, 2023, https://rewardsforjustice.net/rewards/abdullahi-osman-mohamed/. The U.S. Department of State designated Mohamed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) on November 17, 2020.“State Department Designates Two Senior Al-Shabaab Leaders as Terrorists,” U.S. Department of State, November 17, 2020, https://www.state.gov/state-department-designates-two-senior-al-shabaab-leaders-as-terrorists/.

Mohamed first joined al-Kataib, the media wing of al-Shabaab, in 2008. Since at least 2020, Mohamed has served as the leader of al-Kataib.“Abdullahi Osman Mohamed,” Rewards for Justice, July 15, 2023, https://rewardsforjustice.net/rewards/abdullahi-osman-mohamed/; “Abdullahi Osman Mohamed Caddow,” United Nations Security Council, May 26, 2023, https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/abdullahi-osman-mohamed-caddow. Mohamed also reportedly serves as special adviser to the emir (leader) of al-Shabaab. Due to Mohamed’s rising profile within al-Shabaab, on November 17, 2020, the U.S. Department of State designated Mohamed as an SDGT.“State Department Designates Two Senior Al-Shabaab Leaders as Terrorists,” U.S. Department of State, November 17, 2020, https://2017-2021.state.gov/state-department-designates-two-senior-al-shabaab-leaders-as-terrorists/.

In 2014, Mohamed became a member of the explosives manufacturing unit, where he operated in explosive preparation centers across Somalia in Jilib, Bul aale, Saakoow, Salagle, Kuunyo-Barrow, and Arabow. Mohamed proved to be proficient in his role, as he eventually came to command a team of 68 al-Shabaab operatives. Under Mohamed, al-Shabaab smuggles around $6 million per year from explosives manufacturing materials.“Abdullahi Osman Mohamed Caddow,” United Nations Security Council, May 26, 2023, https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/abdullahi-osman-mohamed-caddow.

Given Mohamed’s various high-status positions within the terrorist organization, on May 26, 2023, the U.N. Security Council added Mohamed to its sanctions list for his role in threatening the peace, security, and stability of Somalia and Kenya.“Abdullahi Osman Mohamed Caddow,” United Nations Security Council, May 26, 2023, https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/abdullahi-osman-mohamed-caddow. As al-Shabaab continues to wage a protracted insurgency in Somalia and Kenya, on June 15, 2023, the U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice Program offered $5 million for information leading to the arrest of Mohamed.“Abdullahi Osman Mohamed,” Rewards for Justice, July 15, 2023, https://rewardsforjustice.net/rewards/abdullahi-osman-mohamed/.

Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Ali al-Mainuki is a U.S.-designated ISIS senior leader. Based in the Sahel, al-Mainuki is a leading official in the Lake Chad division of ISIS’s General Directorate of Provinces (GDP) offices. Due to al-Mainuki’s position within ISIS, the U.S. Department of State designated him as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) on June 8, 2023.“Terrorist Designation of ISIS General Directorate of Provinces Leaders,” U.S. Department of State, June 8, 2023, https://www.state.gov/terrorist-designation-of-isis-general-directorate-of-provinces-leaders/.

Al-Mainuki has reportedly held a regional commander position within ISIS since the execution of Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) leader Mamman Nur in 2018. Al-Mainuki was a primary rival to Nur, and as a leading figure in ISWAP, al-Mainuki has been described as a hardline militant.“ISWAP After Nur: Facing the Challenge of the Islamic State in West Africa Province,” International Crisis Group, May 16, 2019, https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/resrep31388.9.pdf.

According to regional scholars, Al-Mainuki also had a troubled relationship with Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau. At some point between March 2015 and early 2016, Shekau declined an ISIS request to send fighters to Libya. Instead, al-Mainuki—who was serving as ISWAP’s Lake Chad area commander—sent fighters instead. Al-Mainuki’s actions further deteriorated relations with Shekau as the Boko Haram leader resented those seeking a closer working relationship with ISIS.Vincent Foucher, “The Islamic State Franchises in Africa: Lessons from Lake Chad,” International Crisis Group, October 29, 2020, https://www.crisisgroup.org/africa/west-africa/nigeria/islamic-state-franchises-africa-lessons-lake-chad.

It is uncertain when al-Mainuki became senior leader of ISIS’s al-Furqan Office, one of ISIS’s most vigorous and best-established regional networks. The regional offices provide ISIS affiliates with operational guidance and international funding. The al-Furqan office covers Nigeria and its neighbors, as well as Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) affiliate in the western Sahel.“Letter dated 11 July 2022 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Da’esh), Al-Qaida and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities addressed to the President of the Security Council,” United Nations Security Council, July 15, 2022, https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/atf/cf/%7B65BFCF9B-6D27-4E9C-8CD3-CF6E4FF96FF9%7D/S%202022%20547.pdf. Given al-Mainuki’s leadership role in ISIS, the U.S. Department of State designated al-Mainuki as a SDGT on June 8, 2023.“Terrorist Designation of ISIS General Directorate of Provinces Leaders,” U.S. Department of State, June 8, 2023, https://www.state.gov/terrorist-designation-of-isis-general-directorate-of-provinces-leaders/.

Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rufay’i is a U.S-designated ISIS senior leader. Al-Rufay’i serves as emir of the Bilad al-Rafidayn, ISIS’s Iraq division within the terror group’s General Directorate of Provinces (GDP) offices. Due to his leadership role in ISIS, the U.S. Department of State designated al-Rufay’i as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) on June 8, 2023.“Terrorist Designation of ISIS General Directorate of Provinces Leaders,” U.S. Department of State, June 8, 2023, https://www.state.gov/terrorist-designation-of-isis-general-directorate-of-provinces-leaders/.

Rufay’i previously served as the wali (governor) of ISIS’s Iraq Province.“Terrorist Designation of ISIS General Directorate of Provinces Leaders,” U.S. Department of State, June 8, 2023, https://www.state.gov/terrorist-designation-of-isis-general-directorate-of-provinces-leaders/. It is uncertain when Rufay’i held that title, but it was likely shortly before or after 2019 when Hajji Taysir, a senior ISIS leader, held the position.“Country Reports on Terrorism 2019,” U.S. Department of State, 2020, https://www.state.gov/reports/country-reports-on-terrorism-2019/. Presumably following his role as wali, al-Rufay’i became emir of the Iraq-based Bilad al-Rufidayn office. ISIS’s regional divisions provide local affiliates with operational guidance and international funding.“Letter dated 11 July 2022 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Da’esh), Al-Qaida and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities addressed to the President of the Security Council,” United Nations Security Council, July 15, 2022, https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/atf/cf/%7B65BFCF9B-6D27-4E9C-8CD3-CF6E4FF96FF9%7D/S%202022%20547.pdf.

Given his direct roles in supporting ISIS and threatening peace and stability throughout Iraq, the U.S. Department of State designated al-Rufay’i as a SDGT on June 8, 2023.“Terrorist Designation of ISIS General Directorate of Provinces Leaders,” U.S. Department of State, June 8, 2023, https://www.state.gov/terrorist-designation-of-isis-general-directorate-of-provinces-leaders/.

Abdul Kabir Mohammad Jan is the deputy prime minister for political affairs of the Taliban government. On May 17, 2023, acting prime minister of the Taliban government, Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, temporarily stepped down from office due to illness. His duties as acting prime minister were transferred to Kabir.Ayaz Gul, “UN-Blacklisted Taliban Leader Becomes Acting Afghan Prime Minister,” Voice of America, May 17, 2023, https://www.voanews.com/a/un-blacklisted-taliban-leader-becomes-acting-afghan-prime-minister-/7097476.html.

Kabir reportedly hails from the Zadran tribe and owns land in central Baghlan Province.“Consolidated United Nations Security Council Sanctions List,” United Nations Security Council, May 14, 2023, https://www.un.org/french/sc/committees/consolidated.htm. In 1996, Kabir was appointed governor of Nangarhar province, an area that remained a stronghold for the Taliban for decades even after U.S. occupation in 2001.“Who’s Maulvi Abdul Kabir, Afghanistan’s new Taliban-appointed PM?,” Al Jazeera, May 18, 2023, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/18/whos-maulvi-abdul-kabir-afghanistans-new-taliban-appointed-pm.

During his tenure with the Taliban, Kabir plotted deadly bombings and facilitated drug trafficking. In 2001, Kabir served as the acting prime minister for the Taliban government right before the collapse of the group’s first reign.“Consolidated United Nations Security Council Sanctions List,” United Nations Security Council, May 14, 2023, https://www.un.org/french/sc/committees/consolidated.htm. Given Kabir’s status within the Taliban, the United Nations Security Council sanctioned Kabir on January 25, 2001.“Consolidated United Nations Security Council Sanctions List,” United Nations Security Council, May 14, 2023, https://www.un.org/french/sc/committees/consolidated.htm; Ayaz Gul, “UN-Blacklisted Taliban Leader Becomes Acting Afghan Prime Minister,” Voice of America, May 17, 2023, https://www.voanews.com/a/un-blacklisted-taliban-leader-becomes-acting-afghan-prime-minister-/7097476.html. Kabir reportedly fulfilled multiple roles within the first Taliban regime as the U.N. sanctioned Kabir for his concurrent positions of second deputy of economic affairs, member of the council of ministers, governor of the Nangarhar Province, and head of eastern zone of the Taliban regime.“ABDUL KABIR MOHAMMAD JAN,” United Nations Security Council, January 25, 2001, https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1988/materials/summaries/individual/abdul-kabir-mohammad-jan.

Following the collapse of the first Taliban regime in 2001, Mullah Mohammed Omar, the Taliban’s founder, appointed Kabir to the group’s leadership council in October 2006.“Who’s Maulvi Abdul Kabir, Afghanistan’s new Taliban-appointed PM?,” Al Jazeera, May 18, 2023, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/18/whos-maulvi-abdul-kabir-afghanistans-new-taliban-appointed-pm. Kabir was then appointed as the military commander of the eastern zone in October 2007, a position in which he facilitated multiple deadly attacks. One of the deadliest attacks orchestrated by Kabir occurred on November 6, 2007, when a suicide bomber blew himself up during a meet and greet between Afghan parliamentarians and Afghan schoolboys in Baghlan province. The explosion killed 72 and injured 96 others.“Consolidated United Nations Security Council Sanctions List,” United Nations Security Council, May 14, 2023, https://www.un.org/french/sc/committees/consolidated.htm; Hamid Shalizi, “Negligence led to deaths in big Afghan bomb-inquiry,” Reuters, November 27, 2007, https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSISL242221. Sometime before 2009, Kabir was then appointed as a member of the Taliban supreme council.“ABDUL KABIR MOHAMMAD JAN,” United Nations Security Council, January 25, 2001, https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1988/materials/summaries/individual/abdul-kabir-mohammad-jan.

Despite his violent past, Kabir served as a delegate for the Taliban during the Doha peace negotiations between the U.S. and the Taliban in 2020.Ayaz Gul, “UN-Blacklisted Taliban Leader Becomes Acting Afghan Prime Minister,” Voice of America, May 17, 2023, https://www.voanews.com/a/un-blacklisted-taliban-leader-becomes-acting-afghan-prime-minister-/7097476.html. On August 6, 2021, the Taliban began an offensive against major Afghan cities with the seizure of Zaranj, capital of Nimruz province.Susannah George and Ezzatullah Mehrdad, “Taliban fighters overrun an Afghan provincial capital for the first time since withdrawal of foreign forces,” Washington Post, August 6, 2021, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/08/06/afghanistan-taliban-nimruz/. By August 15, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled Afghanistan and thousands of Afghans poured into Kabul’s airport as Taliban fighters entered the city. By August 16, the Taliban laid siege to the presidential palace and took complete control of Kabul, after which the Taliban declared the war in Afghanistan had ended.“Taliban declares ‘war is over’ as president and diplomats flee Kabul,” Reuters, August 15, 2021, https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/talibans-rapid-advance-across-afghanistan-2021-08-10/. The Taliban has claimed that it would take on a more “moderate” approach in their ruling of the country, and that women are allowed to have roles in public life in observance of “Islamic law.”“Factbox: Taliban seek to present a moderate face as they take control in Afghanistan,” Reuters, August 15, 2021, https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taliban-seek-present-moderate-face-they-take-control-afghanistan-2021-08-15/.

Shortly after the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul, on October 5, 2021, the Taliban government appointed Kabir as the deputy prime minister for political affairs. The government is exclusively male, with many positions filled with veterans from their hardline movement in the early nineties.Matthieu Aikins and Jim Huylebroek, “Taliban Appoint Stalwarts to Top Government Posts,” New York Times, September 7, 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/07/world/asia/taliban-women-protest-kabul-afghanistan.html; Kathy Gannon, “Taliban form all-male Afghan government of old guard members,” Associated Press, September 8, 2021, https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-pakistan-afghanistan-arrests-islamabad-d50b1b490d27d32eb20cc11b77c12c87.

On May 17, 2023, Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, announced that Kabir will temporarily fulfill the duties of prime minister of the Taliban government. Akhund is reportedly unwell and is undergoing treatment.Ayaz Gul, “UN-Blacklisted Taliban Leader Becomes Acting Afghan Prime Minister,” Voice of America, May 17, 2023, https://www.voanews.com/a/un-blacklisted-taliban-leader-becomes-acting-afghan-prime-minister-/7097476.html.

Khader Adnan was a spokesman for Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), who had been arrested at least 12 times since 2004. He popularized the tactic of hunger strikes by Palestinian prisoners, winning early release on multiple occasions. He initiated another hunger strike after his February 5, 2023, arrest by Israel. His May 2 death from the hunger strike sparked a series of rocket attacks by PIJ and Hamas and Israeli reprisals throughout that May.Emily Rose, “Rockets fired from Gaza after Palestinian hunger striker dies in Israeli custody,” Reuters, May 2, 2023, https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/palestinian-hunger-striker-khader-adnan-dies-israeli-prison-israel-says-2023-05-02/; “Hamas vehemently condemns assassination of Palestinian hunger striker Khadr Adnan by Israeli occupation,” Hamas, May 2, 2023, https://hamas.ps/en/post/4697/Hamas-vehemently-condemns-assassination-of-Palestinian-hunger-striker-Khadr-Adnan-by-Israeli-occupation; Ilan Ben Zion, “Prominent Palestinian hunger striker dies in Israeli custody,” Associated Press, May 2, 2023, https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinian-hunger-strike-adnan-4b9c28fe71f66bab3a1583f1bddbab9c.

Adnan became involved with PIJ while a student at Bir Zeit University, where he received an undergraduate degree in mathematics. He reportedly became a political advocate for PIJ, leading to his first arrest and four-month incarceration by Israel in 1999. By the time he married in 2005, Adnan had been arrested five times.“Who was Khader Adnan, the Palestinian who died on hunger strike?,” Al Jazeera, May 2, 2023, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/2/who-was-khader-adnan-the-palestinian-who-died-on-hunger-strike. Adnan became a spokesman for PIJ, but claimed he never joined the group’s armed wing.Omar Rahman, “Randa Adnan: ‘I still have hope,” Al Jazeera, February 19, 2012, https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2012/2/19/randa-adnan-i-still-have-hope. PIJ referred to him as one of its West Bank leaders.Ed Payne and Kareem Khadder, “Israel releases Islamic Jihad member famous for hunger strikes,” CNN, July 12, 2023, https://www.cnn.com/2015/07/11/world/israel-palestinian-detainee-released/index.html.

Adnan was arrested again on December 17, 2011. He was reportedly held for 18 days for interrogation and subjected to verbal and physical abuse. He began a 66-day hunger strike that ended on February 21, 2012. Israel announced he would be released that April as long as “no new significant and substantiate material” was presented against him.Kevin Flower, “Palestinian ends hunger strike after Israel agrees to release,” CNN, February 21, 2012, https://www.cnn.com/2012/02/21/world/meast/israel-palestinian-detainee/index.html. That hunger strike was the longest by a Palestinian prisoner to-date. It elicited protests and social media campaigns on Adnan’s behalf around the West Bank, turning him into a symbol for Palestinian prisoners.Kevin Flower, “Palestinian ends hunger strike after Israel agrees to release,” CNN, February 21, 2012, https://www.cnn.com/2012/02/21/world/meast/israel-palestinian-detainee/index.html; Omar Rahman, “Randa Adnan: ‘I still have hope,” Al Jazeera, February 19, 2012, https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2012/2/19/randa-adnan-i-still-have-hope.

Israel arrested Adnan again in July 2014 and sentenced him to six months in prison. After that sentence was extended, Adnan began another hunger strike on May 4, 2015. Israel released Adnan on July 12, 2015, after reaching a deal that June for him to end a 56-day hunger strike. According to Adnan’s attorney, the Red Cross and other human rights groups warned Israel Adnan was close to death.Liam O’Hare, “Q&A: ‘It is possible to break the Israeli occupation,’” Al Jazeera, July 26, 2015, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/7/26/qa-it-is-possible-to-break-the-israeli-occupation; “Khader Adnan wins ‘battle of empty stomachs’ in Israel,” Al Jazeera, July 12, 2015, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/7/12/khader-adnan-wins-battle-of-empty-stomachs-in-israel.

Adnan was arrested at least 11 times since 2004 and altogether spent eight years incarcerated in Israel.Abeer Salman, Hadas Gold, Richard Allen Greene, and Helen Regan, “Prominent Palestinian detainee Khader Adnan dies in Israeli prison after 87-day hunger strike,” CNN, May 2, 2023, https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/02/middleeast/khader-adnan-dies-hunger-strike-intl-hnk/index.html#:~:text=Palestinian%20Khader%20Adnan%2C%20center%2C%20is,Jenin%20on%20July%2012%2C%202015. Israel arrested Adnan on February 5, 2023, during an overnight raid in the West Bank village of Arraba.“Israel rearrests senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad member Khader Adnan,” Middle East Eye, February 5, 2023, https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-palestine-rearrests-khader-adnan-islamic-jihad. He was charged with links to an outlawed group and incitement to violence. He announced a hunger strike that lasted for 87 days until his death on May 2. According to the Israel Prison Service, Adnan had refused medical treatment or tests.“Who was Khader Adnan, the Palestinian who died on hunger strike?,” Al Jazeera, May 2, 2023, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/2/who-was-khader-adnan-the-palestinian-who-died-on-hunger-strike.

Following his death, a coalition of Gaza militant groups launched at least 25 rockets toward southern Israel from the Gaza Strip, wounding at least three people. Israeli defenses intercepted four rockets. PIJ and Hamas were among the groups to claim credit for the rockets. Hamas condemned Adnan’s death as an assassination and offered its condolences to PIJ. Emily Rose, “Rockets fired from Gaza after Palestinian hunger striker dies in Israeli custody,” Reuters, May 2, 2023, https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/palestinian-hunger-striker-khader-adnan-dies-israeli-prison-israel-says-2023-05-02/; “Hamas vehemently condemns assassination of Palestinian hunger striker Khadr Adnan by Israeli occupation,” Hamas, May 2, 2023, https://hamas.ps/en/post/4697/Hamas-vehemently-condemns-assassination-of-Palestinian-hunger-striker-Khadr-Adnan-by-Israeli-occupation; Ilan Ben Zion, “Prominent Palestinian hunger striker dies in Israeli custody,” Associated Press, May 2, 2023, https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinian-hunger-strike-adnan-4b9c28fe71f66bab3a1583f1bddbab9c. Between May 2 and May 3, Palestinian militants launched at least 100 rockets toward Israel, eliciting Israeli reprisals against multiple Hamas targets in Gaza. After Qatar, Egypt, and the United Nations brokered a ceasefire, Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh demanded Israel return Adnan’s body to his family.“Israeli airstrikes on Gaza kill Palestinian as violence ebbs,” Associated Press, May 3, 2023, https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-prisoner-rockets-strikes-gaza-d2ee69d319d3b3211292cf60ebc02b14; Staff writer with Agence France-Presse, “Islamic Jihad Announces Truce After Gaza Rocket Fire,” Defense Post, May 3, 2023, https://www.thedefensepost.com/2023/05/03/islamic-jihad-truce-gaza/.

On May 9, 2023, Israel launched Operation Shield and Arrow against PIJ in Gaza in response to the more than 100 rockets PIJ fired the week before. Airstrikes killed senior PIJ commanders Jihad Ghannam, Tareq Izzeldeen, and Khalil Al-Bahtini in Gaza.Nidal Al-Mughrabi, “Israel kills three Islamic Jihad leaders, 10 civilians in Gaza,” Reuters, May 9, 2023, https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-jets-strike-islamic-jihad-targets-gaza-military-2023-05-08/; Yaakov Lapin, “‘Operation Shield and Arrow’ seeks to re-establish Israeli deterrence,” Jewish News Syndicate, May 9, 2023, https://www.jns.org/operation-shield-and-arrow-seeks-to-reestablish-israeli-deterrence/. PIJ responded by launching more than 500 rockets toward Israeli towns. On May 11, PIJ called for Israel to release Adnan’s body as a condition for a ceasefire. Israel refused.Lahav Harkov, “Egypt intensifies ceasefire efforts, sending envoys to Israel,” Jerusalem Post, May 11, 2023, https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-742742; Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Dan Williams, “Israel kills senior Gaza commanders as rockets cause first death in Israel,” Reuters, May 11, 2023, https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-kills-senior-gaza-commander-militants-fire-rockets-across-border-2023-05-11/. An Israeli security official reportedly said Israel intended to use Adnan’s body to negotiate for the release of Israeli prisoners held in Gaza.“Israeli security official: We will use Khader Adnan's body to recover our prisoners from Gaza,” Middle East Monitor, May 12, 2023, https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230512-israeli-security-official-we-will-use-khader-adnans-body-to-recover-our-prisoners-from-gaza/.

Ahmed Abd al-Hadi is Hamas’s representative in Lebanon. He succeeded Ali Bakara in that role in January 2019. Hadi is involved in boosting Palestinian relations with Lebanon, improving the living conditions in Lebanon-based refugee camps, and keeping Palestinians away from political violence.“Abdulhadi succeeds Baraka as Hamas Representative in Lebanon,” Hamas, January 10, 2019, https://hamas.ps/en/post/1834/Abdulhadi-succeeds-Baraka-as-Hamas-Representative-in-Lebanon.

As Hamas’s representative, Hadi has facilitated meetings between Hamas and the Lebanese government, as well as other countries that maintain a diplomatic presence in Lebanon. In late June 2021, Hadi joined a Hamas delegation in meeting with Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab. The delegation included Hamas Political Bureau leader Ismail Haniyeh, deputy political leader Saleh al-Arouri, and senior officials Khalil al-Haya, Izzat al-Rishq, and Osama Hamdan. They also met with Lebanese President Michel Aoun, parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri, and Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah. Haniyeh reportedly spoke of increasing cooperation between Hamas and Hezbollah.Lebanese News and Updates, Twitter post, June 28, 2021, 6:38 a.m., https://twitter.com/LebUpdate/status/1409461105056006153.

Nonetheless, an October 2021 report by the ALMA Research Center found Hamas had been increasing its presence in Lebanon but also angering Hezbollah. According to the report, Hamas had hundreds of people in Lebanon working under the group’s “Construction Bureau,” out of Palestinian refugee camps in the country. The ALMA report found the Palestinian camps remained under the radar of both Lebanese authorities and Hezbollah, allowing Hamas’s contingent to grow unabated.Anna Ahronheim, “Hamas is increasing its activity in Lebanon and angering Hezbollah,” Jerusalem Post, October 12, 2021, https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/hamas-is-increasing-its-activity-in-lebanon-and-angering-hezbollah-681761. On February 26, 2022, Hadi joined a Hamas delegation in meeting with Hezbollah leaders in Lebanon. The delegation also included Hamas’s head of Arab and Islamic Relations Khalil Al-Hayya, member of the Bureau on Arab and Islamic Relations Osama Hamdan, and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh’s media adviser, Taher Al-Nono. According to a Hamas statement, the two groups reiterated their position that normalization with Israel harms the Palestinian cause. Both groups called on countries that have normalized relations with Israel to reverse their decisions.“Senior Hamas delegation meets Hezbollah leaders in Lebanon,” Middle East Monitor, February 26, 2022, https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220226-senior-hamas-delegation-meets-hezbollah-leaders-in-lebanon/.

Despite Hamas’s designation as a terrorist entity by the United States, Canada, and multiple European countries, Hadi has also met with U.N. officials while serving in Lebanon. On November 9, 2022, he met with Tor Wennesland, the U.N. special coordinator for the Middle East peace process. Senior Hamas official Mashhour Abdul-Halim also attended the meeting in Beirut. According to a Hamas statement, Hadi briefed Wennesland on Palestinian developments and urged the United Nations to stand by the Palestinian people’s rights. Hadi also called for pressuring Israel to end its aggression against the Palestinians.“Lebanon: Hamas representative meets UN peace envoy in Beirut,” Palestinian Information Center, November 10, 2022, https://english.palinfo.com/news/2022/11/10/Lebanon-Hamas-representative-meets-UN-peace-envoy-in-Beirut. Hadi also met with Cuban Ambassador to Lebanon Jorge Leon Cruz on February 25, 2023. The meeting also included Abdul Majeed Al-Awad, head of Hamas’s Political and Media Relations office. They discussed current events affecting the Palestinian cause and Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, as well as alleged Israeli violations in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Cruz reiterated Cuba’s support of the Palestinians’ “legitimate right” to “defend their land.”“Hamas delegation visits Cuba Ambassador to Lebanon,” Middle East Monitor, February 25, 2023, https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230225-hamas-delegation-visits-cuba-ambassador-to-lebanon/.

Hadi has supported Hamas’s “armed resistance” and advocated for its necessity. On January 4, 2023, in response to a visit to the Temple Mount/Al-Aqsa Mosque by newly installed far-right Israeli Minister of Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, Hadi told the Lebanese News Agency Israel is increasingly pushing to “judaize” Jerusalem. He warned Palestinian fighters were first in line to defend Al-Aqsa and the people would support them.“Hamas Rep in Lebanon: We’ll Destroy Ben-Gvir’s Project to Judaize Al-Aqsa,” Islam Times, January 4, 2023, https://www.islamtimes.org/en/news/1033612/hamas-rep-in-lebanon-we-ll-destroy-ben-gvir-s-project-to-judaize-al-aqsa.

Moaz Abu Shamala is the Hamas representative in Yemen. In this role, has helped maintain Hamas’s ties with Iran-backed Houthi rebels fighting against the internationally recognized Yemeni government. Abu Shamala has praised Houthi and Yemeni support for the Palestinian cause during multiple meetings with leaders of the Houthi government.“Yemen: Hamas faces backlash after it honours Houthi leader,” Middle East Eye, June 12, 2021, https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/yemen-hamas-popularity-plummets-honours-houthi-leader.

Hamas maintains an office in Sana’a, occupied by the Houthis. It has no presence in Yemen’s capital of Aden. Abu Shamala’s relationship with the Houthi government has drawn widespread criticism and forced Hamas to declare its neutrality in Yemen’s civil war. On June 6, 2021, Abu Shamala met with Muhammad Ali al-Houthi, a member of the Houthi Supreme Political Council. At the meeting, Abu Shamala presented al-Houthi with a shield of honor on behalf of Hamas, in gratitude for the Houthis’ support of the Palestinian cause. Pro-government Yemeni human rights activists, journalists, and politicians criticized Hamas for its show of support to the Houthis.“Yemen: Hamas faces backlash after it honours Houthi leader,” Middle East Eye, June 12, 2021, https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/yemen-hamas-popularity-plummets-honours-houthi-leader. Supporters of the Houthis praised the meeting, but supporters of Yemen’s internationally recognized government criticized the Houthis for meeting with Hamas.“Yemen: Hamas faces backlash after it honours Houthi leader,” Middle East Eye, June 12, 2021, https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/yemen-hamas-popularity-plummets-honours-houthi-leader. Hamas itself has maintained neutrality in Yemen’s long-running war and released a statement responding to the backlash over the meeting. Hamas emphasized “statements made by the Hamas representative in Yemen about liberation and victory is only meant for the liberation of Jerusalem and Palestine.”“Hamas reaffirms its neutral position on Yemeni conflict,” Hamas, June 8, 2021, https://hamas.ps/en/post/3452/Hamas-reaffirms-its-neutral-position-on-Yemeni-conflict.

Despite the backlash, Abu Shamala has continued to meet with Houthi officials and praise Houthi support for the Palestinians. In a November 23, 2021, meeting with the speaker of the Houthis’ shura council, Mohammed Hussein Al-Aidarous, Abu Shamala praised the Yemeni people and the Houthi government’s support of the Palestinian cause. Al Aidarous told Abu Shamala the Yemeni people stand with the Palestinians in demanding their rights and confronting Israel. “Shura Council speaker meets with Hamas representative,” Yemen Press Agency, November 23, 2021, https://en.ypagency.net/244745.

Maher Obeid is an internationally designated senior Hamas political leader and the group’s former West Bank military leader.Elior Levy “New Head of Hamas Terror Operations in West Bank Revealed,” Ynet News, January 10, 2018, www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5069099,00.html; U.S. And UK Target Additional Hamas Finance Officials and Representatives,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 13, 2023, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy1981; “CONSOLIDATED LIST OF FINANCIAL SANCTIONS TARGETS IN THE UK,” Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation HM Treasury, last updated December 15, 2023, https://ofsistorage.blob.core.windows.net/publishlive/2022format/ConList.html. He has been a member of Hamas’s political bureau since 2010Jonathan Schanzer, “Hamas Still Finds Harbor in Turkey,” Washington Examiner, June 9, 2016, www.washingtonexaminer.com/weekly-standard/hamas-still-finds-harbor-in-turkey. and reportedly helped found Hamas’s branch in Hebron in the West Bank.Baruch Yedid, “Hamas Elects Saleh Arouri as New Commander for Judea & Samaria,” Jewish Press, July 4, 2021, https://www.jewishpress.com/news/eye-on-palestine/hamas/hamas-elects-saleh-arouri-as-new-commander-for-judea-samaria/2021/07/04/. Obeid is also reportedly involved in directing several schools in Jerusalem and Hebron.“Mapping Palestinian Politics – Maher Obeid,” European Council on Foreign Relations, accessed September 23, 2021, https://ecfr.eu/special/mapping_palestinian_politics/maher_obeid/.

Israeli security forces arrested Obeid multiple times during the first Palestinian intifada in the 1980s and in the early 1990s. Obeid led Hamas activities in Israeli prisons.Elior Levy “New Head of Hamas Terror Operations in West Bank Revealed,” Ynet News, January 10, 2018, www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5069099,00.html; “Mapping Palestinian Politics – Maher Obeid,” European Council on Foreign Relations, accessed September 23, 2021, https://ecfr.eu/special/mapping_palestinian_politics/maher_obeid/. In December 1992, Israel expelled Obeid, along with 400 other Palestinians, to Lebanon. The expulsion was retaliation by the Israeli government against Islamic fundamentalists who had recently killed four Israeli soldiers and a border policeman. The expulsion was the largest Israel had carried out to-date. The government called the expulsion necessary to send a firm message to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), which Israel blamed for violent unrest.Clyde Haberman, “Israel Expels 400 from Occupied Lands; Lebanese Deploy to Bar Entry of Palestinians,” New York Times, December 18, 1992, www.nytimes.com/1992/12/18/world/israel-expels-400-occupied-lands-lebanese-deploy-bar-entry-palestinians.html; Elior Levy “New Head of Hamas Terror Operations in West Bank Revealed,” Ynet News, January 10, 2018, www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5069099,00.html.

In 2010, Obeid joined Hamas’s political bureau.Jonathan Schanzer, “Hamas Still Finds Harbor in Turkey,” Washington Examiner, June 9, 2016, www.washingtonexaminer.com/weekly-standard/hamas-still-finds-harbor-in-turkey. By the following year, Obeid had allegedly laundered tens of millions of euros from Turkish territory to Hamas’s military and political wings in Gaza.David Andrew Weinberg, “Terrorist Financing: Kidnapping, Antiquities Trafficking, and Private Donations,” Testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade,” November 17, 2015, http://docs.house.gov/meetings/FA/FA18/20151117/104202/HHRG-114-FA18-Wstate-WeinbergD-20151117.pdf; Jonathan Schanzer, “Assessing the U.S.-Qatar Relationship,” Foundation for Defense of Democracies, July 26, 2017, https://docs.house.gov/meetings/FA/FA13/20170726/106329/HHRG-115-FA13-Wstate-SchanzerJ-20170726.pdf. In 2011, Obeid was reportedly based in Qatar and in charge of laundering money from Turkish territory to Hamas’s military and political wings in the Gaza Strip. By 2016, Obeid had moved to Istanbul, Turkey, where he was allegedly in charge of Hamas’s international relations.Jonathan Schanzer, “Hamas Still Finds Harbor in Turkey,” Washington Examiner, June 9, 2016, www.washingtonexaminer.com/weekly-standard/hamas-still-finds-harbor-in-turkey.

As a member of Hamas’s political bureau, Obeid has been part of high-level Hamas delegations to multiple countries, notably Iran and Qatar. Iran has long provided financial support to Hamas but downgraded its ties after the 2011 Arab Spring and the start of the Syrian civil war as Hamas supported protests against Iranian ally Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.Rushdi Abu Alouf, “Gazans squeezed by triple taxes as Hamas replaces lost income,” BBC News, June 20, 2016, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-36274631; Robert Tait, “Iran Cuts Hamas Funding over Syria,” Telegraph (London), May 31, 2013, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/palestinianauthority/10091629/Iran-cuts-Hamas-funding-over-Syria.html. In March 2014, Iranian parliament speaker Ali Larijani claimed relations between Hamas and Iran had returned to normal and that Iran continued to support Hamas as a “resistance organization.Elhanan Miller, “Hamas and Iran Admit Increased Cooperation,” Times of Israel, March 12, 2014, http://www.timesofisrael.com/hamas-and-iran-admit-increased-cooperation/. That December, Obeid joined a Hamas delegation to Tehran for meetings on the Palestinian issue. Also in attendance were Osama Hamdan, Jamal Issa, and Khaled Qaddoumi, Hamas’s representative in Tehran.“Hamas leaders arrive in Tehran,” Middle East Monitor, December 9, 2014, https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20141209-hamas-leaders-arrive-in-tehran/. In February 2016, Obeid joined another Hamas delegation in meeting with Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani in Tehran. Soleimani told the delegation both Iran and Hamas had changed since the Arab Spring and Iran wanted to resume its relationship with the terror group.https://news.walla.co.il/item/2944458.

Obeid has also served in numerous Hamas delegations to Egypt and other countries. In December 2017, Obeid joined Hamas politburo member Muhammad Nazzal in attending a meeting of the African National Congress (ANC) conference in Johannesburg, South Africa. They claimed they want to observe the democratic processes in the ANC, which was discussing downgrading ties with Israel.Ilanit Chernick, “Palestinian delegation cozies up to S. African ruling party at conference,” Jerusalem Post, December 17, 2017, https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/palestinian-delegation-cozies-up-to-s-african-ruling-party-at-conference-518275; “Top Hamas delegation in South Africa for ANC conference,” Palestinian Information Center,  December 16, 2017, https://english.palinfo.com/news/2017/12/16/Top-Hamas-delegation-in-South-Africa-for-ANC-conference. In September 2018, Obeid joined a Hamas delegation to Cairo for talks on intra-Palestinian reconciliation and a ceasefire with Israel. Obeid declared it seems like the Palestinian people would “move towards escalations” to achieve their goals.Jonathan Schanzer, “Hamas Still Finds Harbor in Turkey,” Washington Examiner, June 9, 2016, www.washingtonexaminer.com/weekly-standard/hamas-still-finds-harbor-in-turkey.; “Hamas Delegation heads to Cairo for ‘Exploratory’ Meetings,” Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (London), September 10, 2018, https://english.aawsat.com//home/article/1391001/hamas-delegation-heads-cairo-%e2%80%98exploratory%e2%80%99-meetings.

Obeid has also taken an adversarial stance with the Palestinian Authority (PA), which oversees the West Bank. In late April 2018, he accused PA President Mahmoud Abbas of seeking revenge on Hamas by excluding the group from of a meeting of the Palestinian National Council, the legislative body of Abbas’s Palestine Liberation Organization.“Palestinian National Council to discuss ending ties with Israel,” Al Jazeera, April 28, 2018, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/4/28/palestinian-national-council-to-discuss-ending-ties-with-israel.

Israel’s Ynet News reported in January 2018 that Obeid had been appointed as Hamas’s new West Bank military commander after the previous commander, Saleh al-Arouri, was appointed deputy leader of Hamas in October 2017. Obeid denied the report and claimed reports of his appointment were an Israeli ploy to justify his assassination.Elior Levy “New Head of Hamas Terror Operations in West Bank Revealed,” Ynet News, January 10, 2018, www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5069099,00.html. According to Palestinian security sources, Hamas’s West Bank headquarters is divided between the southern West Bank, the central West Bank, and the northern West Bank. Obeid allegedly took command of overseeing all Hamas operations in the West Bank.Elior Levy “New Head of Hamas Terror Operations in West Bank Revealed,” Ynet News, January 10, 2018, www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5069099,00.html. Obeid reportedly appointed Hamas senior officials Fordan Khalifa, Abed Rahman Ghanimat, and Abdullah Arar to oversee the West Bank sectors.Baruch Yedid, “Hamas Elects Saleh Arouri as New Commander for Judea & Samaria,” Jewish Press, July 4, 2021, https://www.jewishpress.com/news/eye-on-palestine/hamas/hamas-elects-saleh-arouri-as-new-commander-for-judea-samaria/2021/07/04/.

In August 2020, Obeid called for the creation of a national committee comprising all Palestinian factions and political forces to address the issue of Jerusalem and defend it from perceived Israeli aggression. In a statement to the Palestinian Information Center, Obeid warned Israel continues to “Judaize” Jerusalem. He called for a national campaign to deter Israel from pressuring so-called true Jerusalemites from leaving the city.https://iqna.ir/en/news/3472206/hamas-urges-establishment-of-nat%E2%80%99l-committee-to-defend-quds.

In Hamas’s secretive internal elections in 2021, Arouri became the head of Hamas operations in the West Bank.Baruch Yedid, “Hamas Elects Saleh Arouri as New Commander for Judea & Samaria,” Jewish Press, July 4, 2021, https://www.jewishpress.com/news/eye-on-palestine/hamas/hamas-elects-saleh-arouri-as-new-commander-for-judea-samaria/2021/07/04/; Reuters and Jerusalem Post staff, “Haniyeh reelected to lead Hamas in internal elections – report,” Jerusalem Post, August 1, 2021, https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/haniyeh-reelected-to-lead-hamas-in-internal-elections-report-675521. Obeid remains part of Hamas’s political bureau and continues to represent Hamas abroad. On January 10, 2021, for example, he joined a Hamas delegation meeting with Qatari Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in Doha. The delegation was led by Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh and also included Moussa Abu Marzouk, Mohammed Nazzal, Izzat al-Rishq, Husam Badran, and Zaher Jabareen. The delegation discussed Qatari efforts to promote Palestinian unity.“Hamas delegation meets Qatari Emir to discuss Palestinian cause,” Qods International News Agency, January 11, 2021, http://qodsna.com/en/350759/Hamas-delegation-meets-Qatari-Emir-to-discuss-Palestinian-cause.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a mass attack on Israel, sending hundreds of fighters into Israeli towns and military bases within 15 miles of the Gaza border while simultaneously launching a rocket barrage toward Israel.Josef Federman and Issam Adwan, “Hamas surprise attack out of Gaza stuns Israel and leaves hundreds dead in fighting, retaliation,” Associated Press, October 7, 2023, https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2; Josef Federman and Issam Adwan, “Hamas surprise attack out of Gaza stuns Israel and leaves hundreds dead in fighting, retaliation,” Associated Press, October 7, 2023, https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2. Hamas killed at least 1,200 people and captured approximately 240 civilian and military hostages.Josef Federman and Issam Adwan, “Hamas surprise attack out of Gaza stuns Israel and leaves hundreds dead in fighting, retaliation,” Associated Press, October 7, 2023, https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2; “Israel revises Hamas attack death toll to ‘around 1,200,’” Reuters, November 10, 2023, https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-revises-death-toll-oct-7-hamas-attack-around-1200-2023-11-10/. Hamas labeled the attack Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.“Operation Al Aqsa Flood,” Hamas Online Telegram Channel, October 7, 2023. Following the attack, Israel issued an official declaration of war against Hamas and vowed to cripple the terrorist organization.Tia Goldenberg and Wafaa Shurafa, “Israel declares war, bombards Gaza and battles to dislodge Hamas fighters after surprise attack,” Associated Press, October 8, 2023, https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-ca7903976387cfc1e1011ce9ea805a71. The United States and United Kingdom sanctioned Obeid, alongside other Hamas leaders and financiers, on December 13 for his role in Hamas. The United States accused Obeid of previously directing attacks in Gaza from the West Bank until 2010, when he joined Hamas’s political bureau.“U.S. And UK Target Additional Hamas Finance Officials and Representatives,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 13, 2023, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy1981; “CONSOLIDATED LIST OF FINANCIAL SANCTIONS TARGETS IN THE UK,” Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation HM Treasury, last updated December 15, 2023, https://ofsistorage.blob.core.windows.net/publishlive/2022format/ConList.html. Hamas condemned the designation as “part of the collusion of the American and British governments with the Zionist entity in its aggression against our people and the demonization of its legitimate resistance.”Hamas statement, Hamas Online Telegram Channel, December 13, 2023.

Baruch Goldstein was an American-Israeli dual citizen and ultranationalist terrorist who shot 29 Palestinian Muslims to death and wounded 125 more in the Cave of the Patriarchs massacre in Hebron, West Bank, in 1994. Survivors of the attack eventually stopped him from shooting and killed him. Goldstein, a follower of Israeli ultranationalist Rabbi Meir Kahane and activist in Kahane’s political party, Kach, remains admired by some Kahanists today.

Goldstein was born as Benjamin Goldstein in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Orthodox Judaism.“Baruch Goldstein (1956–1994),” National Library of Israel, accessed December 4, 2022, https://www.nli.org.il/en/a-topic/987007261976305171; “Peter Pringle, “Hebron Massacre: Brooklyn Doctor with a Prescription for Hatred,” Independent (London), February 27, 1994, https:/www.independent.co.uk/news/world/hebron-massacre-brooklyn-doctor-with-a-prescription-for-hatred-1396680.html; Ami Pedahzur and Arie Perliger, Jewish Terrorism in Israel (New York: Columbia University Press, 2009), 70. As a youth, he was involved in the Jewish Defense League, a militant Jewish self-defense organization founded by Kahane. Ami Pedahzur and Arie Perliger, Jewish Terrorism in Israel (New York: Columbia University Press, 2009), 70. Goldstein received his bachelor’s and medical degrees from Yeshiva University. Ami Pedahzur and Arie Perliger, Jewish Terrorism in Israel (New York: Columbia University Press, 2009), 70.

Goldstein moved to Israel in 1983. Ami Pedahzur and Arie Perliger, Jewish Terrorism in Israel (New York: Columbia University Press, 2009), 70. He practiced medicine in the Israeli military and then as an emergency physician in Hebron, near which he lived in the settlement of Kiryat Arba. Ami Pedahzur and Arie Perliger, Jewish Terrorism in Israel (New York: Columbia University Press, 2009), 70. He also continued his support for Kahane, who had immigrated to Israel in 1971 and formed the ultranationalist Kach political party, which advocated for turning Israel into a democratic theocracy governed according to Jewish law, transferring almost all Arabs out of Israel via compensation or force, and denying citizenship to any Arabs willing to remain in Israel on those terms. “Kahane Arrives in Israel,” United Press International, September 15, 1971, https://www.nytimes.com/1971/09/15/archives/kahane-arrives-in-israel.html; Carla Hall, “The Message of Meir Kahane,” Washington Post, September 11, 1984, archived in the Internet Archive, https://web.archive.org/web/20210513012100/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1984/09/11/the-message-of-meir-kahane/95a30f81-2e2e-431f-b9fb-33c0ad43ca39/; Robert I. Friedman, “The Sayings of Rabbi Kahane,” New York Review of Books, February 13, 1986, archived in the Internet Archive, https://web.archive.org/web/20221130184946/https://www.nybooks.com/articles/1986/02/13/the-sayings-of-rabbi-kahane. Goldstein joined Kach and ran as one of its leading candidates for the Israeli Knesset (parliament) in 1984. David B. Green, “Israel Election Results: Who Was Meir Kahane, and Why Is His Racist Legacy Relevant Again,” Haaretz (Tel Aviv), March 26, 2021, archived in the Internet Archive, https://web.archive.org/web/20220809095719/https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/2021-03-26/ty-article-magazine/.premium/israel-election-who-was-meir-kahane-and-why-is-his-racist-legacy-relevant-again/0000017f-db3c-df62-a9ff-dfffe2fa0000. In 1981, before Goldstein immigrated to Israel, he wrote in a letter to the New York Times that Israel “must act decisively to remove the Arab minority from within its borders.”“A History of Anti-Arab Feeling,” New York Times, February 26, 1994, archived in the Internet Archive, https://web.archive.org/web/20201112020343/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/02/26/world/l-a-history-of-anti-arab-feeling-326254.html.

Goldstein was known for his militantly anti-Arab views, but was still permitted to serve in the army reserves and, according to the Independent:

… had full access to security information about the Tomb of the Patriarchs, which made his mission simple to carry out. Goldstein was even listed as the army doctor in case of emergency at the sanctuary and was frequently called on when clashes occurred. He therefore knew the duties and positions of army guards at the mosque and how to avoid them. His presence would not have been a surprise to the army guards. Sarah Helm, “Jewish Killer Attacked Mosque Last Year: Evidence Is Mounting That Baruch Goldstein Was Known to Be Dangerous Well before the Massacre, Writes Sarah Helm,” Independent (London), March 1, 1994, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/jewish-killer-attacked-mosque-last-year-evidence-is-mounting-that-baruch-goldstein-was-known-to-be-dangerous-well-before-the-massacre-writes-sarah-helm-1426229.html.

In 1994, on the Jewish holiday of Purim (which fell on February 25 that year), Goldstein went into a mosque in the Cave of the Patriarchs holy site in Hebron while wearing his military uniform and started firing at worshippers. He killed 29 and wounded 125 before survivors subdued and killed him.Chris Hedges, “That Day in Hebron—A Special Report: Soldier Fired at Crowd, Survivors of Massacre Say,” New York Times, March 16, 1994, archived in the Internet Archive, https://web.archive.org/web/20140423025152/http://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/16/world/that-day-hebron-special-report-soldier-fired-crowd-survivors-massacre-say.html?pagewanted=all; David B. Green, “Israel Election Results: Who Was Meir Kahane, and Why Is His Racist Legacy Relevant Again,” Haaretz (Tel Aviv), March 26, 2021, archived in the Internet Archive, https://web.archive.org/web/20220809095719/https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/2021-03-26/ty-article-magazine/.premium/israel-election-who-was-meir-kahane-and-why-is-his-racist-legacy-relevant-again/0000017f-db3c-df62-a9ff-dfffe2fa0000; Rebecca Wolf, “Lunch With Baruch Goldstein, One Year before the Hebron Massacre,” Tablet, February 21, 2014, https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/lunch-with-baruch-goldstein-one-year-before-the-hebron-massacre.

Goldstein’s exact impetus and motives for the massacre remain in question. Testimony to a commission established by the government to investigate the incident claimed that Goldstein was anguished by the Israeli government’s transfer of territory to the Palestinian Authority pursuant to the Oslo peace process. Ami Pedahzur and Arie Perliger, Jewish Terrorism in Israel (New York: Columbia University Press, 2009), 70. Some of his defenders, including Israeli far-right politician Itamar Ben Gvir, have claimed Goldstein acted to preempt an expected Palestinian attack on the Israeli Jewish settlers in Hebron. “He knew that Jewish blood was about to be shed, and so he protected his own people,” Ben Gvir said in 2010. “Perhaps some were innocent—but war is war.” Shmulik Grossman, “Goldstein Legacy Continues,” Yedioth Ahronoth (Tel Aviv), February 26, 2010, https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3854982,00.html.

The timing of the massacre, the Purim holiday, has reinforced this view of Goldstein’s actions as constituting proactive self-defense. Purim commemorates the events recounted in the biblical Book of Esther. In the biblical story, which is thought to have taken place in the 5th century BCE, Haman, a wicked senior official in the Persian Empire, plots to kill the empire’s entire Jewish community. However, his plans are foiled and the Jews fight back, preemptively killing those who sought to do them harm. The holiday has come to be associated with Jewish survival and triumph in the face of persecution.> Maureen Byrne, “Jews Ready to Celebrate Purim’s Story of Survival,” Tampa Bay Times, last updated September 12, 2005, https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1998/03/07/jews-ready-to-celebrate-purim-s-story-of-survival/.

Rioting and protests broke out among Palestinians following the shooting, leading the Israeli government to temporarily impose a curfew on Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.Clyde Haberman, “West Bank Massacre: The Overview; Rabin Urges the Palestinians To Put Aside Anger and Talk,” New York Times, March 1, 1994, archived in the Internet Archive, https://web.archive.org/web/20210316200255/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/01/world/west-bank-massacre-overview-rabin-urges-palestinians-put-aside-anger-talk.html. Clashes between Palestinians and the Israeli military led to the death of 20 Palestinians.Ami Pedahzur and Arie Perliger, Jewish Terrorism in Israel (New York: Columbia University Press, 2009), 70. Matti Steinberg, former advisor on Palestinian affairs at Israel’s Shin Bet domestic intelligence service, claims that Hamas’s strategic shift to engaging in suicide bombings against civilians in Israel instead of Israeli military targets in the West Bank and Gaza “stemmed directly from the Goldstein massacre.”Akiva Eldar, “Evacuate Jewish Hebron,” Haaretz (Tel Aviv), November 3, 2008, archived in the Internet Archive, https://web.archive.org/web/20140304150421/http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/evacuate-jewish-hebron-1.256505.

The Israeli government condemned the attack, with Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin declaring at the Knesset:

Today I stand before you, members of Knesset, and before the citizens of the State of Israel—and in front of the entire world—and as a Jew, as an Israeli, as a man and as a human being, I am shamed over the disgrace imposed upon us by a degenerate murderer… To him and to those like him we say: You are not part of the community of Israel. You are not partners in the Zionist enterprise. You are a foreign implant. You are an errant weed. Sensible Judaism spits you out. You placed yourself outside the wall of Jewish Law. You are a shame on Zionism and an embarrassment to Judaism. A single, straight line connects the lunatics and racists of the entire world. A single line of blood and terrorism runs from the Islamic Holy War member who shot Jewish worshipers who stood in prayer in the synagogues of Istanbul, Paris, Amsterdam and Rome, to the Jewish Hamas member [Goldstein] who shot Ramadan worshipers. “West Bank Massacre: ‘I Am Shamed,’ Rabin Says,” New York Times, March 1, 1994, archived in the Internet Archive, https://web.archive.org/web/20200423060736/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/01/world/west-bank-massacre-i-am-shamed-rabin-says.html.

Likewise, the massacre was decried by most other Israeli and Jewish leaders, including both Israeli chief rabbis.Yossi Klein Halevi, “The War on the Israeli Home Front,” Wall Street Journal, November 18, 2014, https://www.wsj.com/articles/yossi-klein-halevi-the-war-on-the-israeli-home-front-1416355411. Then–opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu said “[i]t’s a crime, a terrible crime, and I condemn it totally.”George J. Church, Lisa Beyer, Jamil Hamad et al, “When Fury Rules,” Time, March 7, 1994, archived in the Internet Archive, https://web.archive.org/web/20081209063436/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,980291-3,00.html. British Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks called the attack “an obscenity and a travesty of Jewish values” and “a blasphemy”, adding, “As a religious leader I unequivocally condemn all acts of violence against the innocent, regardless of by whom and against whom they are committed.”Jonathan Sacks, Faith in the Future: The Ecology of Hope and the Restoration of Family, Community, and Faith (Macon: Mercer University Press, 1997), 99. The head of the Jewish Settler Council, Uri Uriel, said, “This is an act that is not Jewish, not humane, and in the end, which is less important but still important, it leads to nothing and only causes the situation to deteriorate.”David C. Jacobson, Does David Still Play Before You? Israeli Poetry and the Bible (Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1997), 91. However, members of Kahane Chai, an organization of followers of Meir Kahane founded after his assassination in 1990, issued a statement mourning Goldstein, calling him a “martyr” who “died… in the sanctification of God’s name.” Ami Pedahzur and Arie Perliger, Jewish Terrorism in Israel (New York: Columbia University Press, 2009), 70. The Israeli government soon acted to ban Kahane Chai and Kach under a counterterrorism law.Clyde Haberman, “Israel Votes Ban on Jewish Groups Linked to Kahane,” New York Times, March 14, 1994, archived in the Internet Archive, https://web.archive.org/web/20220906161302/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/14/world/israel-votes-ban-on-jewish-groups-linked-to-kahane.html.

Goldstein’s actions have had repercussions in Israeli politics. Yigal Amir, an Israeli ultranationalist who assassinated Rabin in 1995, claimed that he was inspired to do so after Goldstein’s attack. Amir went to Goldstein’s funeral and said later that after speaking with some of the terrorist’s friends, he had come to understand that “this is not just some fanatic, extreme community, but one that is fighting very hard for the nation. Values are very important to it.”Akiva Eldar, “Evacuate Jewish Hebron,” Haaretz (Tel Aviv), November 3, 2008, archived in the Internet Archive, https://web.archive.org/web/20140304150421/http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/evacuate-jewish-hebron-1.256505. Select ultranationalist Israelis continue to admire Goldstein, with some commemorating the massacre annually and visiting his grave.Shmulik Grossman, “Goldstein Legacy Continues,” Yedioth Ahronoth (Tel Aviv), February 26, 2010, https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3854982,00.html.