Committee passes Mast bill to impose sanctions against Hamas

U.S. Rep. Brian Mast’s (R-FL) bill that would impose sanctions on any entity that offers financial or material support to terrorist organizations, including Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, was approved by the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Oct. 19.

The United States has designated Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad as foreign terrorist organizations for nearly three decades. In less than two weeks, Hamas was responsible for countless war crimes against Israel and the murder of thousands of innocent civilians.

“There should be no ambiguity here: Hamas is responsible for absolutely every innocent life lost in this war. Full stop. And any supporter of Hamas is complicit. Now it’s time for the United States to match our words with action by sanctioning anyone who’s enabled radical Islamic terrorists that chant destruction of Israel,” Rep. Mast said.

The congressman sponsored the Hamas International Financing Prevention Act, H.R. 340, along with original cosponsor U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ). It was passed by the House Foreign Affairs Committee last week in a 45-2 vote. The bill next moves to the full House for consideration.  

“This bipartisan legislation will ensure that we isolate and punish radical terrorist groups like Hamas and PIJ by cutting off their financial resources at the moment our most historic ally in the Middle East needs it most,” Rep. Gottheimer said.

The Hamas International Financing Prevention Act had passed the House of Representatives as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 but was not included in the final version of the bill, the congressman’s office said. Rep. Mast reintroduced the bill in January.