Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird co-led a coalition supporting a lawsuit alleging that several national pro-Palestinian advocacy groups are providing material support for Hamas.
The lawsuit, brought by survivors and families of Americans killed in the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants on several towns in southern Israel that killed 1,300 Israelis, alleges that their support for Hamas equates to material support for terrorism.
The lawsuit names American Muslims for Palestine and the National Students for Justice in Palestine.
Co-led by 22 Republican attorney generals, the lawsuit states these organizations materially support the armed Palestinian militant group Hamas. Knowingly providing material support to terrorists is a violation under federal and many state laws. Iowa code prohibits providing material support for terrorism.
Filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act, the victims and families are seeking financial compensation from the groups.
The brief, filed by the attorneys general Tuesday, alleged American Muslims for Palestine and the National Students for Justice in Palestine have provided material support to Hamas for decades — both as their current organizations and through predecessor organizations. The brief urged federal judges to hear the case.
Five leaders of U.S.-based Muslim charity, the Holy Land Foundation, were convicted of funneling more than $12 million to Hamas in 2008, according to FBI archives. The board of the American Muslims for Palestine consists of two members with ties to this charity.
Evidence during the trial presented that several of the defendants have family members who are Hamas leaders, including Hamas political chief Mousa Abu Marzook.
Bird said in a news release Tuesday that she stands with the survivors and families whose loved ones were killed on Oct. 7, and victims of terrorism deserve to make this case in court.
“Any organization caught doing Hamas’s bidding must be held accountable,” Bird said in a Tuesday news release. “And while no amount of money will ever bring these families their loved ones back, it is a step in the right direction by providing relief to victims and ensuring justice is served.”
Since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war, more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza. according to the territory’s Health Ministry.