The Shin Bet estimated that Halabi diverted $7.2 million to Hamas every year, of which about $1.5 million was transferred to Hamas to pay its combat units.
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The statement came shortly after Israel’s internal spy agency Shin Bet said Hamas had recruited Mohammed el-Halabi over 10 years ago in a bid to infiltrate World Vision.
On Thursday, the Shin Bet, revealed it had arrested Mohammed Halabi in June and had since charged him with the transfers.
World Vision’s Jerusalem offices were raided by police after Halabi’s arrest.
The Shin Bet said he underwent Hamas military and organisational training in the early 2000s and was “planted” by the group at World Vision in 2005, where he climbed the ranks to become director of the Gaza branch.
World Vision, as most Snapshots readers know, is a Christian charitable organization that seeks to improve child welfare throughout the world. In other words, approximately 60 per cent of all World Vision’s funds were originally meant to ease the level of suffering in the Gaza Strip, but have been diverted to Hamas.
The Gaza Strip’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry has accused Israel of tightening the decade-long siege on the Palestinian territory.
He alleges that some of the money Halabi was accused of taking had been used to buy arms for insurgents in Egypt’s Sinai peninsula, that also borders Israel, and that a Hamas military base was built with $80,000 (USD)of the funds.
“It is well-documented that Hamas uses income to build up its military capability, including the construction of tunnels which have been used to launch terror attacks within Israel”, said Board of Deputies’ vice-president Richard Verber.
World Vision released a statement Thursday after the gag order was removed that said the group was “shocked” to learn of the charges against Halabi.
The UN said it was “aware of the very serious allegations” and would be following the case.
“We are suspending the provision of further funding to World Vision for programs in the Palestinian Territories until the investigation is complete”, it said.
Guards then used stricter measures and started separating prisoners in order to disrupt the smuggling, the official was cited as saying.
Instructions to pay last month’s salaries for Gaza’s Hamas-appointed civil servants were issued directly by the Emir of Qatar, H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Investigations by Israeli officials and World Vision are under way.
Shin Bet displayed a statement by Halabi admitting to having handed over various envelopes of cash, with the largest containing more than $50,000.
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They added that he diverted millions to the group, which rules Gaza, creating fictitious humanitarian projects and doctoring inflated receipts.
