The New York Times reports that the families of Americans who were murdered in the October 7th massacre are suing Iran: “This lawsuit aims to emphasize Iran’s role in the horrific massacre in which approximately 1,200 people were murdered, as well as its support for Hamas and other terrorist organizations.”
The families of the Americans who were murdered in the terrorist attack led by Hamas on October 7, as well as those who were killed during the fighting in Gaza, filed a lawsuit against Iran yesterday (Sunday), for supporting the deadliest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.
The newspaper states that the lawsuit, which was submitted to the federal court in Washington, details the financing of Hamas by Iran and its support for other terrorist organizations working to destroy Israel. The claim is based, among other things, on Hamas documents seized in Gaza and published in the media, including in the New York Times.
As you may recall, in an article published last month in the “New York Times”, minutes from meetings of Hamas leaders, in which they planned the attack on October 7, were revealed. The New York Times even points out that the newspaper independently examined the documents, which include a reference to the sum of 7 million dollars, along with details about the way in which the leadership of Hamas operated and the preparations that were made for the attack.
According to the newspaper: “The lawyers representing the plaintiffs in the case also managed to obtain original documents referring to a secret meeting that took place in December 2022 between a group of Hamas political and militant leaders. During the meeting, Yahya Sinwar requested an additional $7 million per month from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in order to finance the attack On October 7, called “The Great Project”. The newspaper reviewed the documents and they include details on how the Hamas leadership operates and the preparations that were made for the attack.
The lawsuit also cites the role of the Revolutionary Guards in coordinating between Hamas and Hezbollah, in preparing for the attack, as reported in the newspaper. The terrorist organizations mentioned in the lawsuit are: Hamas, Hezbollah, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – all terrorist organizations that are defined as such by the United States.
The newspaper mentioned that last month, the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, condemned the Hamas campaign against Israel, saying: “The horrors of Hamas’ crimes are almost indescribable.”
The family members involved in the lawsuit include those of Americans who were killed, injured or suffered emotional distress on October 7. According to the New York Times, 46 Americans, including children, were killed in the murderous attack. In addition, 12 Americans were taken prisoner by Hamas. Seven Americans are still in Gaza, but three of them are considered missing.
The lawsuit also includes Americans who were killed during battles in Gaza or northern Israel. The newspaper notes that more than 30 American-Israeli citizens were killed during the fighting: “One of them was Moshe Leiter, 39 years old, a reservist in a special unit of the Navy. His father, Yehiel Leiter, is expected to be appointed Israel’s ambassador to the United States next year,” the newspaper reported.
The lawsuit demands compensation under the Foreign Sovereign Immunity Act and the Anti-Terrorism Act. The lawsuit was filed by a group of prominent lawyers, including Gary M. Osen, who previously represented Holocaust victims and Lee Wolosky.