US Attorney General Establishes October 7 Task Force to Prosecute Hamas

Friday, 7 February 2025 | US Attorney General Pam Bondi launched Joint Task Force October 7 (JTF 10-7) overnight on Thursday to seek justice for victims of the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel, disrupt Hamas-linked financial networks and address rising antisemitic crimes in the United States.

According to a Justice Department memorandum released Thursday, JTF 10-7 will pursue criminal charges, including capital crimes, against those responsible for the attack, assist victims and hostage families, investigate US-based Hamas supporters and funders and collaborate with federal agencies and Israel to counter the terror group.

The October 7, 2023, attack—which saw Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and other terrorist groups launch a coordinated assault on southern Israel—resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths, including 47 US citizens, and the abduction of more than 200 hostages, among them eight Americans.

As part of its mission, JTF 10-7 will support Israeli efforts to hold Hamas accountable and seek the arrest and extradition of Hamas leaders, including those named in United States v. Hanieh, a recently filed legal case against top Hamas figures. The Justice Department also plans to investigate antisemitic hate crimes and terror-related civil rights violations linked to Hamas supporters inside the US, including on college campuses.

The FBI will provide agents, analysts and linguists with expertise in counterterrorism to staff the task force, ensuring that Hamas-linked activity within the US is aggressively prosecuted. Additionally, the Treasury Department and IRS will collaborate with JTF 10-7 to track and disrupt Hamas’ funding sources, including financial institutions suspected of laundering money for the group.

To strengthen legal tools against Hamas and its affiliates, Bondi is directing the Justice Department to temporarily suspend certain restrictions on subpoenaing foreign banks and to seek legislative amendments that expand jurisdiction for prosecuting international terrorism cases.

JTF 10-7 will operate under the Deputy Attorney General’s Office with involvement from the National Security Division, the FBI, and US Attorneys' Offices, coordinating with the Department of Defense and the Treasury Department.