U.S. charges Hamas leaders infographic
Graphic shows Hamas leaders charged by U.S. Justice Department.
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CONFLICT

U.S. charges Hamas leaders over Oct 7 attack on Israel

September 4, 2024 - The U.S. has announced criminal charges against Hamas’ top leaders over their roles in planning, supporting and perpetrating the deadly Oct 7 attack on Israel.

The charges against Yahya Sinwar, the militant group’s chief, and at least five others accuse them of orchestrating the Oct 7 attack, which killed 1,200 people, including more than 40 Americans.

That attack triggered an Israeli assault on Gaza that has killed more than 40,800 Palestinians and laid waste to much of the territory.

The complaint names six defendants, three of whom are deceased. The living defendants are Sinwar, who is believed to be in hiding in Gaza; Khaled Meshaal, who is based in Doha and heads the group's diaspora office; and Ali Baraka, a senior Hamas official based in Lebanon.

The deceased defendants are former Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who the group says was assassinated in July in Tehran; military wing chief Mohammed Deif, who Israel says it killed in a July airstrike; and Marwan Issa, a deputy military commander who Israel said it killed in a March strike.

Iran has blamed Israel for Haniyeh's death. Israeli officials have not claimed responsibility, Reuters said.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 04/09/2024; STORY: Graphic News
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