On May 20, the US Treasury Department announced sanctions against four activists for their roles in organizing aid flotillas to Gaza, alleging without evidence that these organizers support Hamas. The sanctions coincided with Israeli forces blocking the latest ships bound for Gaza.
According to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the Trump administration considers these aid flotillas a "frivolous" effort to undermine the peace process. Bessent asserted the Treasury would continue disrupting Hamas's global financial support networks wherever they exist.
The sanctions target two representatives of the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA) and two members of Samidoun, a network showing solidarity with Palestinian prisoners. The targets are activists based in Jordan, Spain, and Belgium. The sanctions freeze their US assets and prohibit Americans from dealing with them.
The US previously sanctioned PCPA in January 2025 for supporting flotillas. Washington had also blacklisted Samidoun earlier, but the latest sanctions focus specifically on maritime activities.
DAWN, a US-based human rights organization, rejected the sanctions. Isabelle Hayslip, DAWN's advocacy director, criticized Washington for using "terrorist labels" to suppress Palestinian advocacy worldwide. She emphasized that the Palestinian diaspora lives under constant risk of being designated as terrorist for demanding their rights.
Human rights activists have made multiple voyages by boat over the past two years to transport aid and show solidarity with Gaza's population after Israel's war. However, all vessels have been intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters. Activists argue Israel's raids on ships are illegal.
Israel has detained hundreds from around the world, including US citizens and prominent figures such as climate activist Greta Thunberg, in its crackdown on flotillas. Most detainees are released and deported within days, but many allege physical and psychological abuse by Israeli forces.
The US Treasury warned banks that "humanitarian" flotillas backed by designated groups pose significant compliance risks. Concerns over secondary sanctions may lead international banks to close activists' accounts even without wrongdoing.
The Trump administration has increasingly used sanctions to penalize Palestinian rights supporters globally. The US previously sanctioned judges of the International Criminal Court for issuing arrest warrants against Israeli officials related to war crimes in Gaza. Concurrently, Trump lifted sanctions on violent Israeli settlers in the West Bank from day one of his second term in January 2025.
