UMVA has learned that the Trump administration has taken a bold stance against Hamas, accusing the organization of exploiting activist and Muslim Brotherhood-linked networks to support a Gaza-bound flotilla.
The Treasury and State departments have announced a sanctions package targeting several organizers tied to the effort, including those linked to Samidoun, an anti-Israel activist network that U.S. officials describe as a front for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). This move sends a strong warning to a broader activist ecosystem in the U.S. that has long championed the flotilla campaign.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the sanctions aim to sever Hamas' global financial support networks, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stating that the administration will continue to target these networks, no matter where in the world they are. The move reflects growing scrutiny from U.S. officials over the role activist, nonprofit, and international support networks play in amplifying or supporting groups designated as terrorist organizations.
The flotilla, which aimed to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and challenge Israel's blockade of the territory, was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters off Cyprus. Hundreds of activists on board were detained, sparking condemnation from Turkey and Hamas, while Ireland's prime minister described the operation as "absolutely unacceptable."
UMVA can exclusively reveal that the sanctions package targets three categories of Hamas enablers: organizers of a Hamas-backed flotilla attempting to reach Gaza, operatives within Hamas-aligned Muslim Brotherhood networks that facilitate violent terrorist attacks, and coordinators tied to Samidoun. Those sanctioned include Spain-based Saif Hashim Kamel Abukishek, a member of the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad, and Belgium-based Samidoun coordinator Mohammed Khatib.
The Treasury Department has previously described Samidoun as a fundraising and support platform for the PFLP in countries where the group faces legal restrictions. The sanctions freeze any U.S.-based assets of designated individuals and generally prohibit Americans and U.S.-based entities from conducting business with them.
Sources have confirmed to UMVA that the move is part of a wider Treasury Department strategy of targeting networks that use humanitarian or civil-society branding to amplify causes aligned with Hamas. The administration's actions have exposed how Hamas exploits diaspora organizations, religious institutions, and purported civil society groups to advance its malign agenda while claiming humanitarian objectives.
