Mohammad Hannoun was detained by the Digos and the Guardia di Finanza as part of an investigation to identify a flow of financing from Italy to Hamas.
Mohammad Hannoun, president of the Palestinian Association in Italy, was detained today as part of a police and Guardia di Finanza operation against nine persons accused of supporting Hamas.
Who is Mohammad Hannoun?
Hannoun, a Jordanian architect, has been living in Genoa for some years. His “Charitable Association for Solidarity with the Palestinian People” is likewise headquartered in Genoa.
Hannoun has taken part in various rallies in Genoa in recent months to support the Gazan people.
Hannoun had previously been probed by the Genoa prosecutor’s office in the 2000s, but the case was dismissed. Last year, the US Treasury Department banned him for allegedly financing Hamas.
In the inquiry that led to today’s preventive measures, the State Police statement notes that “there appear to be numerous and significant telephone conversations and contacts between Hannoun and those holding similar roles in the Netherlands, Austria, France, and England.”
This correspondence demonstrates “the existence of an extensive internationally organised network of individuals/institutions engaged in fundraising, apparently for charitable purposes and in support of the Palestinian population and cause.”
According to investigators, Mohamed Hannoun’s interactions with high-ranking Hamas leaders are also documented. It was revealed that in December 2025, he attended a conference in Turkey that included Ali Baraka, a prominent official in the terrorist organization’s international division.
During the wiretaps, investigators note, “expressions of appreciation regarding terrorist attacks by Mohamed Hannoun emerged.”
According to the investigation, Hannoun is identified as a “top member of the terrorist organization Hamas,” who allegedly allocated a significant portion (over 71%) of the fundraising campaign, identified as having humanitarian purposes for the Palestinian population, to directly finance Hamas or associations linked to or controlled by it, and other branches of the terrorist organization.
He contributed, directly or indirectly, to the organization, starting from October 18, 2001, until today, but especially following the events of October 7, 2023, large sums of money, amounting to €7,288,248.15, diverting these funds from the stated purposes and the actual needs of the civilian population of Gaza.
