On Thursday, April 27, the military wing of Hamas announced that it would no longer accept cryptocurrency donations. This decision was taken by the Islamic group ruling in the Gaza Strip following increased repression by the Israeli authorities.

The armed wing of Hamas, the al-Qassam Brigades, announced in a statement that this decision was taken after careful consideration of the security of donors and to protect them from harm. This decision comes as a result of seizures or hostile activities against donors. Like other cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin is beyond the control of governments and central banks, unlike traditional currencies. In July 2021 and January 2022, Israel had already seized cryptocurrencies from Hamas.