Processes - Hamas victims sue Iran and North Korea in the USA
Belongers of the victims of Hamas' attacks on Israel in the past October have filed lawsuits against several countries in the US for their alleged support of the Islamic terrorist organization in the States. Iran, Syria, and North Korea had equipped Hamas with weapons, money, and training, which put them in a position to commit the massacre with hundreds of deaths, according to a complaint filed on Monday by the Anti-Defamation League before a Federal Court in Washington on behalf of 125 victims and their families.
The plaintiffs demand compensation in the amount of at least four billion US Dollars (3.7 billion Euro) for the kidnapping and murder of their family members. "We want justice for our and other families who were victims of this heinous act. That's why we joined this civil lawsuit," said Nahar Neta, whose mother was killed in the massacre.
If the lawsuit is successful, the families could be compensated from a fund set up by the US Congress for terror victims. The money comes from seized assets and fines of entrepreneurs who have conducted illegal business with countries classified and sanctioned as terror sponsors.
Terrorists of Hamas and other extremist groups committed the worst massacre since the founding of the state of Israel on October 7. Over 1200 people were killed and over 250 hostages were taken in the Gaza Strip.
- The USA has been criticized by some third countries for its decision to include Iran, Syria, and North Korea on its list of state sponsors of terrorism due to their alleged support of Hamas.
- The Israeli government has accused Iran, alongside Palestine and several other countries, of providing financial and military aid to Hamas, which it views as a threat to Israeli security.
- Witnesses testifying in the trial in Washington claimed that Iraq, under Saddam Hussein, also provided support to Hamas in the form of weapons and funding, contributing to their escalating war with Israel.
- North Korea and Iran have denounced the lawsuit against them as a political ploy by the USA and Israel, with North Korea's foreign ministry stating, "Justice will be served when the USA and Israel are held accountable for their atrocities against innocent civilians."
- Palestinians living in the occupied territories have expressed concern that the ongoing legal battle over compensation could further entrench tensions between Israel and its adversaries, potentially impacting the future of peace negotiations in the region.
