U.S. lays criminal charges against 6 Hamas leaders over Oct. 7 attack on Israel

The United States announced criminal charges on Tuesday against top Hamas leaders for their alleged roles in planning, supporting and perpetrating the deadly Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel.

The charges against Yahya Sinwar, the militant group's chief, and at least five others accuse them of orchestrating the Oct. 7 attack, which killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies. The dead included more than 40 Americans, according to the seven-count criminal complaint.

That attack triggered an Israeli assault on Gaza that has killed more than 40,800 Palestinians and laid waste to much of the territory.

The complaint filed in federal court in New York City includes charges of conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, conspiracy to murder U.S. nationals and conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, resulting in death.

WATCH | Inside one of the kibbutzes attacked by Hamas on Oct. 7:

Inside one of the Israeli kibbutzes devastated by Hamas on Oct. 7

3 months ago

Duration 2:10

CBC's Saša Petricic reports from Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of the first Israeli communities attacked by Hamas militants on Oct. 7 when some 1,200 people in Israel were killed and about 250 taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies. Surviving residents of the kibbutz continue to mourn amid frustration with the Israeli government and military for not responding quickly enough.

The complaint also accuses Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah of providing financial support and weapons, including rockets, that were used in the attack.

"As outlined in our complaint, those defendants — armed with weapons, political support, and funding from the Government of Iran, and support from [Hezbollah] — have led Hamas' efforts to destroy the State of Israel and murder civilians in support of that aim," Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.

He said the charges, which mark the first effort by American law enforcement to formally call out the masterminds of the attack, are just one part of an effort to target "every aspect of Hamas' operations." 

3 named defendants dead

The complaint names six defendants, three of whom are dead. The living defendants are Sinwar, who is believed to be in hiding in Gaza; Khaled Meshaal, who is based in Doha, Qatar, and heads the group's diaspora office; and Ali Baraka, a senior Hamas official based in Lebanon.

The deceased defendants are former Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who the group says was assassinated in July in Tehran; military wing chief Mohammed Deif, who Israel says it killed in a July airstrike; and Marwan Issa, a deputy military commander who Israel said it killed in a March strike.

Iran has blamed Israel for Haniyeh's death. Israeli officials have not claimed responsibility.

U.S. prosecutors brought charges against the six men in February, but kept the complaint under seal in hopes of capturing Haniyeh, according to a Justice Department official.

The Justice Department decided to go public with the charges after Haniyeh's death.

WATCH | Hamas and Iran vow revenge for Israel's killing of Ismail Haniyeh:

Hamas and Iran vow retaliation for killing of Ismail Haniyeh

4 months ago

Duration 5:11

Hamas and Iran have promised to retaliate for the killing of Hamas’s political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Hamas and Iran blame Israel for the deadly attack, but Israel has not claimed direct responsibility.