US families accuse Palestinian-American billionaire of facilitating Hamas attacks

David Brunnstrom - Reuters - 07/04
American families of victims of the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel filed a lawsuit on Monday against a prominent Palestinian-American businessman, Bashar Masri, charging that he provided assistance in constructing infrastructure that allowed Hamas militants to carry out their cross-border rampage.
  • Lawsuit targets Palestinian-American businessman Bashar Masri
  • Says properties he owned and controlled concealed attack tunnels
  • Lawsuit says defendants facilitated construction and concealment of tunnels
  • Lawsuit filed on behalf of more than 200 victims
  • Masri's office calls suit "baseless"
WASHINGTON, April 7 (Reuters) - American families of victims of the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel filed a lawsuit on Monday against a prominent Palestinian-American businessman, Bashar Masri, charging that he provided assistance in constructing infrastructure that allowed Hamas militants to carry out their cross-border rampage.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for Washington, D.C., is thought to be the first case of a U.S. citizen being accused of providing major support for the attacks that triggered a wider Middle East conflict and upended the region.

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Masri's office called the lawsuit "baseless."
According to a statement announcing the lawsuit, properties Masri owned, developed and controlled, including two luxury hotels and the leading industrial zone in Gaza – the Gaza Industrial Estate - "concealed tunnels underneath them, and had tunnel entrances accessible from within the properties, which Hamas used in terrorist operations before, on and after October 7th."
"Defendants facilitated the construction and concealment of those tunnels and even built above-ground solar panel installations t...
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