In a major blow to the Palestinian militant group Hamas, Israeli police announced on Monday that they had frozen several cryptocurrency accounts linked to the organization. The accounts, which were used to fund Hamas’s activities in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, were traced and blocked with the assistance of Binance, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges.
According to a statement by the Israeli police, the operation was carried out by the cyber unit of the Lahav 433 anti-fraud division, in cooperation with the national security agency Shin Bet and the Israel Tax Authority. The police said they had identified and seized more than 150 cryptocurrency accounts, wallets and addresses that received donations from Hamas supporters around the world.
The police also said they had uncovered a complex network of websites and social media platforms that Hamas used to solicit donations in various cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum and Dogecoin. The donations were then transferred to the accounts that were controlled by Hamas operatives in Turkey and Gaza.
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The police estimated that Hamas had raised tens of millions of dollars through this scheme, which was launched in early 2019 after the group faced a severe financial crisis due to the blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt on Gaza. The police said that the cryptocurrency donations enabled Hamas to bypass the banking system and the international sanctions imposed on it as a designated terrorist organization.
Binance, which is based in the Cayman Islands and has offices in several countries, confirmed that it had cooperated with the Israeli authorities in their investigation. A spokesperson for Binance said that the exchange had a “zero-tolerance policy” for illicit activity on its platform and that it was committed to “working with regulators and law enforcement agencies to safeguard the interests of our users and the broader industry.”
The spokesperson also said that Binance had implemented “robust compliance and security measures” to detect and prevent suspicious transactions, such as advanced identity verification, blockchain analysis and cyber threat intelligence.
The freezing of Hamas’s cryptocurrency accounts is not the first time that Israel has targeted the group’s online fundraising efforts. In August 2019, the Israeli military said it had hacked into a website run by Hamas’s military wing, the Qassam Brigades, and exposed its Bitcoin donation campaign. The military said it had also sent warning messages to potential donors, alerting them that they were exposing themselves to legal action and cyber attacks by supporting Hamas.
Hamas has not yet commented on the latest Israeli operation, but it is likely that the group will try to find new ways to raise funds through cryptocurrency or other means. Hamas has been engaged in a long-running conflict with Israel, which has intensified in recent months following a series of violent clashes and rocket attacks.
Binance is lowering minimum order sizes for some of its spot and margin trading pairs to 1USDT.
Binance, the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange, has announced that it is reducing the minimum order sizes for some of its spot and margin trading pairs to 1USDT. This means that traders can now execute orders with smaller amounts of capital, allowing them to diversify their portfolios and access more opportunities in the crypto market.
The new minimum order sizes apply to the following trading pairs:
BTC/USDT
ETH/USDT
BNB/USDT
ADA/USDT
DOGE/USDT
XRP/USDT
DOT/USDT
SOL/USDT
LUNA/USDT
AVAX/USDT
The change will take effect on October 15, 2023, at 00:00 AM (UTC). Traders who have open orders below the new minimum order sizes will not be affected by this update. However, they will not be able to modify or cancel their orders until they meet the new requirements.
Binance said that the decision to lower the minimum order sizes was based on user feedback and market demand. The exchange aims to provide more flexibility and convenience for its users, especially those who are new to crypto trading or have limited funds. By lowering the barriers to entry, Binance hopes to attract more users and increase the liquidity and depth of its markets.
Binance also reminded its users to trade responsibly and be aware of the risks involved in crypto trading. The exchange advised its users to do their own research, use proper risk management tools, and follow the platform’s rules and regulations.
Binance is constantly improving its products and services to offer the best trading experience for its users. The exchange has recently launched several new features and initiatives, such as:
Binance NFT Marketplace, a platform for buying and selling digital collectibles and artworks. Binance Pay, a peer-to-peer payment service that supports multiple cryptocurrencies and fiat currencies.
Binance Earn, a suite of products that allows users to earn passive income from their crypto assets. Binance Smart Chain, a blockchain network that supports smart contracts and decentralized applications. Binance Charity, a non-profit organization that uses blockchain technology to empower social good.