Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what policy the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation applies when considering whether to recommend the imposition of financial sanctions on individuals resident in, or operating from, the United Kingdom who are alleged to have links to Hamas or to have supported Hamas; whether that policy extends to considering sanctions against persons who are not themselves members of Hamas but who are alleged to have acted on its behalf or provided material support to it; and whether that policy has been applied in relation to Zaher Birawi, Mohammed Sawalha, Ziad Elaloul, Majed Al Zeer and Adnan Hmidan.

The Government takes the threat of Hamas very seriously and remains committed to cutting off funding sources to Hamas and any other organisations or individuals supporting terrorist activity which prevents sustainable peace in the Middle East.

Under the Counter-Terrorism (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, for which the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (“OFSI”) holds responsibility for designation, financial sanctions are imposed in a targeted and coordinated manner with the aim of reducing the risk to the UK, its citizens and its interests overseas from terrorism, so that people can go about their lives freely and with confidence.

To achieve those policy aims, OFSI regularly reviews targets for designation to explore whether they meet our criteria for designation under the Counter-Terrorism (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. This includes assessing whether the evidence available reaches the thresholds set out in legislation and that the use of sanctions is proportionate to their aims.

It is a standing policy that HMT does not provide details on any OFSI actions or investigations that may or may not be ongoing.