Countries and Entities That Designate Hamas as a Terrorist Organization
- United States: Hamas has been designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization since 1997. This designation prohibits U.S. persons from providing material support to Hamas and mandates the freezing of any Hamas assets within U.S. jurisdiction. (Global Sanctions)
- United Kingdom: Initially, the UK proscribed Hamas’s military wing in 2001. In 2021, this designation was expanded to include the entire organization, making it a criminal offense to support or be a member of Hamas. (Wikipedia)
- European Union: The EU designated Hamas’s military wing in 2001 and extended the designation to the entire organization in 2003. This includes asset freezes and prohibitions on providing funds or economic resources to Hamas. (Wikipedia, Consilium)
- Canada: Canada has listed Hamas as a terrorist entity under its Anti-Terrorism Act, which entails asset freezes and criminalizes support for the group. (Public Safety Canada)
- Australia: Australia has designated Hamas as a terrorist organization under its national security laws, leading to similar legal restrictions. (Australian National Security Website)
- New Zealand: New Zealand initially designated Hamas’s military wing but, as of February 2024, has extended the designation to the entire organization. (Wikipedia)
- Japan: Japan has designated Hamas’s military wing as a terrorist organization. (Wikipedia)
- Paraguay: In April 2025, Paraguay expanded its designation of Hamas as a terrorist organization. (Wikipedia)
Countries That Do Not Designate Hamas as a Terrorist Organization
Several countries do not classify Hamas as a terrorist organization. These include:
- Iran
- Russia(Wikipedia)
- China
- Turkey
- Syria
- Egypt
- Brazil
These nations often view Hamas as a legitimate political or resistance movement, particularly in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
It’s important to note that the designation of Hamas varies globally, reflecting differing international perspectives on the group’s activities and role in regional politics.
