EU Adds Hamas Gaza Leader Yahya Sinwar to Terrorist Sanctions List

Rhe European Union (EU) on Tuesday designated Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in Gaza, as a terrorist and added him to its sanctions blacklist. This decision is a response to the October 7 attacks on Israel, considered the worst in the country’s history.

As a result of this designation, Sinwar faces asset freezing within the 27-nation EU bloc, and EU citizens are prohibited from engaging in transactions with him. Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist movement, is already listed as a terrorist organization by the EU.

The October attacks led to approximately 1,140 deaths, predominantly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures. Militants also took about 250 hostages back to Gaza, with 132 of them still reportedly in Palestinian territory, including at least 25 believed to have been killed.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz welcomed the EU’s decision, emphasizing that it is a result of diplomatic efforts to undermine Hamas resources and delegitimize the organization. Katz stated, “We will continue to eradicate the root of evil, in Gaza and wherever it raises its head.”

Yahya Sinwar, 61, has not been seen since October 7, and Israel’s military declared him a “dead man walking” after the attacks. Sinwar was already designated as one of the most wanted “international terrorists” by the United States in 2015, along with Mohammed Deif, commander of Hamas’ armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, and another alleged mastermind of the October 7 attacks.

The EU has faced challenges in formulating a unified response to both the Hamas attacks and Israel’s subsequent offensive in the Gaza Strip. The Hamas government reports that at least 24,285 Palestinians, with around 70% being women, children, and adolescents, have been killed in Gaza due to Israeli bombardments and ground operations since October 7.