The Swiss government announced today that it intends to ban the Hamas movement following the attacks it carried out in Israel last year, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and sparked a war in Gaza. Bern clarified that it has been taking measures since the attacks that occurred on October 7, which led to the deaths of two Swiss citizens and the capture of nearly 250 hostages.
The Swiss government stated that under the new legislation, Hamas and "the organizations that cover or support it," as well as organizations or groups acting on its behalf, will be banned. The aim of the ban is to punish Hamas for the October attacks and to prevent the organization from using Switzerland as a safe haven or carrying out attacks in the country, for example, by facilitating entry bans or deportation.
The government noted that this will also help combat terrorism financing by allowing Swiss anti-money laundering authorities to better exchange information with their foreign counterparts. The government added that the law, which has entered the consultation phase, will be limited to five years.
