Southern Wisconsin Times

WASHINGTON (September 12, 2024) - Congressman Bryan Steil (WI-01) today called on the U.S. Treasury Department to expedite a report on the major sources of financing to Hamas and set forth a plan to disrupt those financial flows.

Under the law Rep. Steil sponsored, the End Financing for Hamas and State Sponsors of Terrorism Act, the Treasury Department is required to provide a report by October 21, 2024. However, recent events in the Middle East underscore the urgency of identifying the sources of financing to Hamas and taking clear and decisive steps to disrupt their illicit financial flows and their ability to finance armed hostilities.

Below are excerpts and highlights from the letter:

“Hamas terrorists continue to hold captives in tunnels and hideouts across Gaza. Recently, Hamas viciously murdered Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an American citizen, and five other hostages, as Israeli forces closed in on their location. This recent act of violence has made it abundantly clear that we need to do more to put pressure on Hamas and its sponsors to get hostages home and put an end to these atrocities. Hamas and other terrorist groups in the region must understand that they cannot murder Americans and other innocent civilians with impunity.

“It is critical that we use every single tool at our disposal to hold Hamas accountable for their barbaric acts and force them to release the rest of the hostages and put an end to this perpetual terrorist threat. I again urge you to expedite the publication of the required report and take immediate steps to cut off Hamas’s funding networks.”

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