The article goes into detail about how Hamas built a "war machine" with extensive tunnels and home-grown weapons manufacturing. And it mentions, almost as an aside:
The group relied on outsiders for money and advice. It raised tens of millions of dollars, some of it from Iran, but much of it siphoned from aid money, charitable contributions, tax revenue and — after Oct. 7 — shareholder deposits stolen from Gazan banks.
Later in the article it adds:
Hamas is believed to have socked away hundreds of millions of dollars in cash and cryptocurrencies before Oct. 7, much of it from tax revenue collected from Gazans as well as financial aid given by Qatar — with the tacit approval of Israeli leaders — in recent years to keep the enclave’s economy from collapsing.
Aid money to Gaza comes from sources as diverse as UNRWA, the EU, Save the Children, Islamic Relief, IHH from Turkey, and Oxfam, besides Iran and Qatar. (Hamas also reportedly made hundreds of millions by selling Israeli stocks short before October 7.)
Cash found in Hamas home in Gaza |
Yet we haven't seen any articles demanding answers, or better oversight, or investigations into exactly how Hamas stole these funds from aid agencies, from international donors, and from Gazans themselves.
And if no one is interested in finding out the truth, that means that they really don't mind funding Hamas.