A lawsuit filed in Washington, D.C., claims Hamas' attack on Israel was "masterminded and funded by the Islamic Republic of Iran," multiple media outlets reported.
A total of 67 plaintiffs who were attacked by Hamas in Israel on Oct. 7, or are family members of those killed or taken hostage, sued Iran for at least $1 billion for aiding the terrorists, Bloomberg reported.
Hamas' attack on Israel resulted in roughly 1,200 people being killed and thousands more injured.
"Iran bears direct responsibility for the Oct. 7 attacks," according to the lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, NBC News reported.
"Indeed, that point is essentially undisputed. The Iranian regime has openly flaunted its motive for aiding the horrors."
Attorneys for the plaintiffs said Iran, the "sworn enemy of Israel and the United States," used Hamas to sabotage the ongoing diplomatic attempts to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
"As potential Israeli normalization with Saudi Arabia progressed, Iran prepared to reset the regional balance, including by attempting to unite Arab states around the Palestinian cause," said the lawsuit, brought by the law firm Quinn, Emanuel, Urquhart and Sullivan LLP.
Several days after the terrorists' massacre, a senior Hamas official told Russian Today TV that the group received help from Iran.
In a report named "Country Reports on Terrorism 2021," the State Department said "Hamas has received funding, weapons, and training from Iran and raises funds in Persian Gulf countries."
"We expect to prove our case by several means, including affidavits from our clients as well as reports from experts on Iran and terror financing," attorney Alex Spiro told NBC News.
The lawsuit also recounts how Hamas-led terrorists "systematically murdered about 260 people" at the Nova music festival and how terrorists raped and killed many women.
The filing included graphic photos of what appear to be dozens of men and women who were killed at the festival.
The plaintiffs said Iran needs to be punished.
"In many places across the world, Iran's actions have been met with silence," the lawsuit said. "But Plaintiffs will not be silent. And the laws of the United States are not silent either."
Judith Raanan, who was released by Hamas after two weeks in captivity, and the relatives of two murdered men, Itay Glisko and Daniel Levi Ludmir, also filed a separate case Wednesday, Bloomberg reported.
The plaintiffs in that case are suing Binance for allowing Hamas to trade on the crypto exchange along with Iran and Syria for allegedly providing financial support and weaponry to the terrorist group.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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