The Japanese government has implemented a freeze on the assets of a cryptocurrency trading firm and nine individuals associated with Hamas, a Palestinian armed group. This move comes in response to allegations of the company and individuals funding the group, widely deemed a terrorist organization.
The decision was made during a cabinet meeting on October 31st. The sanctions, effective immediately, aim to disrupt the financial support flowing to Hamas.
At a press briefing, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno underlined the Japanese government’s dedication to anti-terrorism financing measures. He stated, “We will continue to review sanctions targets from the perspective of countermeasures against terrorist financing.”
This move by Japan closely mirrors recent measures taken by the United States. Earlier this month, the U.S. government issued sanctions on entities and individuals linked to Hamas, including nine individuals and one organization located in various countries, including the Gaza Strip.
Despite claims by a Wall Street Journal report stating that Hamas received over $41 million in crypto donations prior to an attack on Israel on October 7, blockchain analytics firms Elliptic and Chainalysis disputed the accuracy of these claims. Both firms found no substantial evidence supporting the allegations of significant crypto donations received by Hamas.
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