UK Imposes Sanctions Targeting Hamas Financing

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron attends the 54th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, in Davos, Switzerland, January 17, 2024. (Reuters)
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron attends the 54th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, in Davos, Switzerland, January 17, 2024. (Reuters)
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UK Imposes Sanctions Targeting Hamas Financing

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron attends the 54th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, in Davos, Switzerland, January 17, 2024. (Reuters)
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron attends the 54th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, in Davos, Switzerland, January 17, 2024. (Reuters)

Britain on Monday sanctioned individuals linked to Hamas, including financiers and leaders of the Palestinian militant group, saying the measures would help cut off its funding including from Iran.

The move was taken in coordination with the United States.

The British sanctions target Zuheir Shamlakh, a man known as Hamas's "main money changer", and a key figure involved in the group's shift towards cryptocurrencies who helped transfer large sums of money from Iran to Hamas ahead of the group's Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, Britain's foreign office said.

"These sanctions send a clear message to Hamas – the UK and our partners are committed to ensuring there is no hiding place for those financing terrorist activities," British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said.

The sanctions also target a senior official of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, another militant group.



Ukraine Ready to Hold Talks with Russia Once Ceasefire Is in Place, Zelenskiy Says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks during a briefing in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks during a briefing in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP)
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Ukraine Ready to Hold Talks with Russia Once Ceasefire Is in Place, Zelenskiy Says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks during a briefing in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks during a briefing in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP)

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday that Ukraine would be ready to hold talks with Russia in any format once a ceasefire is in place and the fighting between Kyiv and Moscow's forces has stopped.

The Ukrainian leader also told reporters at a briefing that a Ukrainian delegation meeting officials from Western countries in London on Wednesday would have a mandate to discuss a full or partial ceasefire.

"We are ready to record that after a ceasefire, we are ready to sit down in any format so that there are no dead ends," Zelenskiy said at the briefing in the presidential office in Kyiv.

"It will not be possible to agree on everything quickly," he warned, noting numerous highly complex issues such as territory, security guarantees and Ukraine's membership in the NATO military alliance.

The talks in London, which are to set to bring together officials from the United States, Britain, France, Germany and Ukraine, come amid a flurry of intense US-led diplomatic efforts to find a way to end Russia's war with Ukraine.

Zelenskiy said he would be happy to meet US President Donald Trump later this week when they attend the funeral of Pope Francis.