The European Union today (Tuesday) added Yahya Sinwar, the leader of the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip, to its list of international terrorists, imposing sanctions on him.
"The Council decided today to add one individual to the EU terrorist list. This decision comes as part of European Union’s response to the threat posed by Hamas and its brutal and indiscriminate terrorist attacks in Israel on 7 October 2023," the EU announcement reads.
"The individual designated today is Yahya Sinwar, the political leader of Hamas. Following his listing, Yahya Sinwar is subject to the freezing of his funds and other financial assets in EU member states. It is also prohibited for EU operators to make funds and economic resources available to him."
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in response to the EU's move: "I congratulate European Union member states on their decision to add Yahya Sinwar, political leader of the Hamas, to the sanctions lists. This is a just and moral decision. I thank all our friends that supported this decision. This decision is also a result of our diplomatic efforts to strangle the resources of the Hamas, to delegitimize them and prohibit all support to them. We will continue to eradicate the root of evil, in Gaza and wherever it raises its head."
Sinwar is one of the masterminds of the October 7 massacre of over 1,200 people in southern Israel. Under his direction, about 130 Israelis continue to be held hostage in Gaza after more than 100 days in captivity.
In late November, Sinwar gave his first public address since the massacre in which he threatened that worse was to come following October 7.
“The leaders of the occupation should know, October 7 was just a rehearsal,” Sinwar boasted.