By Steve Neavling
The Justice Department on Monday announced a new task force to investigate Hamas for its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, as well as potential civil rights violations and acts of antisemitism linked to support for the militant group.
The task force, called Joint Task Force October 7, or JTF 10-7, will focus on bringing charges against Hamas militants responsible for the attack, the department said, the Associated Press reports.
“The barbaric Hamas terrorists will not win — and there will be consequences,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement.
Hamas killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 hostages in the attack, prompting an Israeli counteroffensive that has devastated much of Gaza, displaced most of its population, and killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
The Biden administration’s Justice Department previously unsealed charges against Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and other senior militants in connection with the attack. But Sinwar was later killed by Israeli forces, and several other defendants are believed to be dead. The new task force will take over those pending cases, the department said.
The announcement comes as President Donald Trump has issued what he called a “last warning” to Hamas to release the remaining hostages. His administration has also cracked down on universities for what it sees as a failure to control antisemitism on campus and has targeted foreign nationals involved in pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
The Justice Department recently opened an investigation into whether Columbia University harbored “illegal aliens,” and federal immigration agents arrested Palestinian activist and Columbia graduate student Mahmoud Khalil.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he revoked Khalil’s permission to stay in the U.S. due to his role in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia, which he claimed stirred “anti-Jewish” sentiment and amounted to support for Hamas. Khalil’s lawyers have challenged his detention in court.
The task force, which includes prosecutors and FBI officials, will also investigate potential acts of terrorism and civil rights violations linked to support or financing of Hamas. The Justice Department did not specify what type of support would be considered illegal but noted that federal law makes it a crime to provide material assistance to designated foreign terrorist organizations.
The department said FBI agents will be embedded with Israel’s National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing.
