IDF Says Gaza Charity Channeled Aid Money to Hamas Fighters
Israel’s military said on Thursday that documents recovered in Gaza show Hamas redirected money from the Palestinian charity Qawafel al-Khair to support the group’s armed operations in 2023, using aid funds for training facilities, logistical support, and assistance for its Al-Qassam Brigades.
Military Intelligence officials said the papers detail meetings between Hamas representatives and several nongovernmental organizations in Gaza, with Qawafel al-Khair playing a central role.
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According to the Israel Defense Forces, the seized records describe resources presented as humanitarian assistance that were instead funneled to fighters. The files allegedly show that food parcels and construction support, formally classified as relief aid, were distributed to members of the organization’s military wing. Another document reviewed by intelligence personnel described a request for financial help for a Hamas operative.
Qawafel al-Khair portrays itself as an organization focused on providing food, clothing, tents, and sponsorships for orphans living in Gaza under blockade conditions. Publicly available information shows the group’s social media presence dates back to 2015, and that it previously operated under the name Ruba Al-Khair.
UK Lawyers for Israel, a legal advocacy group based in London, has reported that the charity was originally established by Mansour Rayan and Ali al-Mughrabi, both of whom were released in the 2011 prisoner exchange for captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
