A Hamas operative based in Istanbul, Mohammad Yousef Hasna, is now facing serious allegations tied to a sophisticated financial operation. According to a U.S. federal complaint, he allegedly used a UK-registered Islamic charity to secretly channel millions of dollars, truckloads of goods, and other critical resources to a terrorism-designated organization. The operation was presented to donors and international groups as humanitarian relief for civilians in Gaza. On July 31, Hasna was arrested in the UK and is currently in custody pending extradition proceedings.
The unsealed court filing, filed under seal on July 24 and made public after the arrest, describes the charity under its alias, the 'Sham Charity.' Through public records and detailed court filings, the organization has been identified as the UK-registered Al-Khair Foundation. The charity is listed under number 1126808 with the UK Charity Commission. For the financial year ending July 31, 2025, it reported a total income of £74.79 million. The organization is also known to have expanded its operations over the years, shifting from Islamic education to emergency relief and later launching a TV network for religious programming and fundraising.
The charity's international reach
Al-Khair’s growth reflects a significant shift in its mission. What began as an Islamic educational foundation in 2003 expanded into humanitarian aid by 2005. The charity has since launched IQRA TV, which serves as a platform for religious content and fundraising. As a key player in the November 2024 summit in Istanbul, Al-Khair organized discussions on humanitarian aid for Gaza. The summit was a major event, drawing over 200 attendees from 40 countries.
The event, titled 'International Humanitarian Aid Summit: The Future of Gaza,' was co-organized by the Türkiye Diyanet Foundation (TDV). The TDV is closely connected to Turkey’s state-run Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), which gives the foundation considerable official backing. This partnership between TDV and Al-Khair positioned the summit as a key initiative in global aid coordination for Gaza.
High-level Turkish government support
The summit received notable support from the Turkish government, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivering a video message to the opening. In his remarks, he explicitly recognized both the Türkiye Diyanet Foundation and the Al-Khair Foundation for their role in organizing the event.
Erdoğan’s message extended beyond a simple greeting. It officially endorsed the summit and associated both TDV and Al-Khair with the Turkish government’s humanitarian efforts abroad. By highlighting Al-Khair in this way, the charity gained a level of public legitimacy. The speech also reinforced the perception that the charity was part of Turkey’s broader diplomatic and humanitarian strategy.
The involvement of the Türkiye Diyanet Foundation was also clearly outlined in the event's organization. İzani Turan, the general director of TDV, said that the charity covered all major financial aspects of the summit. This included travel, accommodation, and logistical arrangements for over 270 participants from 33 countries. The TDV and Al-Khair had collaborated under the leadership of Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs to create a significant international platform for aid discussions.
The U.S. complaint suggests that the network Hasna managed operated far beyond Istanbul. It paints Turkey not just as a residence but as an institutional and operational hub. The Justice Department has not yet revealed the full scope of the financial and logistical activities, but the case is shedding light on the complex web of organizations that support a terrorism-designated group under the guise of humanitarian work.
The collaboration between Al-Khair and TDV, along with high-level political support from Turkey, has made the case a focal point in discussions about international aid, diplomatic influence, and the use of charitable networks to support extremist causes.