According to a report by The Jerusalem Post on Sunday, May 17, 2026, Israeli public broadcaster KAN News has reported that Hamas is allegedly seeking to exploit the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, known as Hajj, to raise and transfer funds into the Gaza Strip under the cover of religious and humanitarian activity.
According to the report, which cited Palestinian sources familiar with the matter, the group is believed to be preparing financial mobilisation efforts during the pilgrimage season, which begins on the evening of May 24 and runs until May 29. The large-scale movement of pilgrims during Hajj, the sources said, creates conditions that are difficult to monitor closely, potentially allowing the discreet transfer of cash, gold, and other valuables.
The allegations suggest that the group may attempt to collect donations in the form of cash and jewellery from pilgrims or supporters under the guise of religious charity. These assets, according to the report, could then be moved through intermediaries from Saudi Arabia into Egypt before being channelled into Gaza.
The sources further claimed that once funds reach Egypt, they may be subjected to various informal and semi-formal financial processes aimed at concealing their origin. These methods reportedly include electronic transfers, digital wallets, exchange houses, informal remittance networks, and the use of intermediaries to split large sums into smaller transactions in order to avoid detection.
The report added that such mechanisms are allegedly designed to facilitate the movement of funds into Gaza while reducing scrutiny from financial monitoring systems.
Meanwhile, Hamas has also been facing internal organisational changes amid ongoing conflict and leadership losses. The group recently confirmed that it failed to elect a new political leader during internal consultations, stating that a fresh round of elections would be held at a later date.
The leadership vacuum follows a period of significant disruption within the organisation, with several senior figures reportedly killed in the course of the war with Israel. Since the reported killing of former political leader Yahya Sinwar in October 2024, Hamas has not formally appointed a permanent head of its political bureau.
According to Hamas media adviser Taher al-Nunu in remarks to Al Jazeera, the group has been undergoing restructuring in response to targeted killings of its leaders. He said remaining vacancies would be filled through what he described as a “consultative mechanism and silent elections.”
The current leadership contest is expected to involve senior figures such as Khaled Mashal, who leads Hamas abroad, and Khalil al-Hayya, a prominent political official within the group…See More
