Investigation launched into international aid charity over alleged links with Hamas
The Charity Commission has opened a statutory inquiry into Al-Khair Foundation and has restricted certain transactions.
The charity was set up to advance religion, promote education, support social welfare, build religious harmony and offer relief to victims of disasters. It operates in the UK and internationally.
Last month the Commission received a complaint alleging the charity and its partners had connections to Hamas, a proscribed terrorist organisation. It also alleged the charity had funded the organisation. The regulator immediately started examining the serious concerns raised and gathered more information to inform its assessment. The Commission has now escalated its engagement to a statutory inquiry.
The Commission is aware that Mohammad Yousef Hasna, an individual employed by an organisation that the Al-Khair Foundation works with to deliver aid in Gaza, has been arrested in the UK and charged by US authorities for conspiring to provide material support to Hamas. The regulator will be considering all relevant information as part of its investigation, which will include verifying his connection to the charity, and wider allegations made about the charity.
The charity recorded an income of over £74 million pounds in financial year ending 31 July 2025. Due to the concerns of possible serious risk to charitable funds, the Commission has issued a legal order restricting certain financial transactions by the charity without the Commission’s prior consent.
Scope of the inquiry
The inquiry will examine the extent to which the trustees are complying or have complied with their legal duties in respect of the administration, governance and management of the charity. The investigation will seek to establish:
- the nature and extent of the charity’s links to Mr Hasna
- whether trustees have carried out appropriate checks and due diligence on international partners
- whether trustees are effectively monitoring the end use of funds internationally and have appropriate policies and procedures in place to protect funds from risk of misuse
- whether any failings or weaknesses identified in the administration of the Charity are a result of misconduct and/or mismanagement by the trustees
The scope of the inquiry can be extended if additional regulatory issues emerge.
As charity regulator, the Commission cannot investigate criminal matters. In line with the regulator’s policy, if evidence of criminal activity is found, this will be referred to the police which has the power to investigate.
It is the Commission’s policy, after it has concluded an inquiry, to publish a report detailing the issues examined, any action taken, and the inquiry’s outcomes.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
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The Charity Commission is the independent, non-ministerial government department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales. Its ambition is to be an expert regulator that is fair, balanced, and independent so that charity can thrive. This ambition will help to create and sustain an environment where charities further build public trust and ultimately fulfil their essential role in enhancing lives and strengthening society. Read further information about what the Commission does.
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On 5 August 2026, the Charity Commission opened a statutory inquiry into the charity under section 46 of the Charities Act 2011 as a result of its regulatory concerns that there is significant risk to charity property and to public trust and confidence in the sector.
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On 5 August 2026, the Commission issued a s76(3)(f) order restricting the charity’s transactions to Mr Hasna, his organisation or Gaza without the Commission’s permission.
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A statutory inquiry is a legal power enabling the Commission to formally investigate matters of regulatory concern within a charity and to use protective powers for the benefit of the charity and its beneficiaries, assets, or reputation. Reports of previous inquiries are available on GOV.UK.
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The Commission publishes a range of guidance for trustees, including, a compliance toolkit to help charities and trustees. This includes chapters on where charities may come across a proscribed or designated entity in their work and moving money safely internationally. This can be found here: Compliance toolkit chapter 1: Charities and Terrorism. The Commission also has guidance on how charities can hold, move and receive funds in the UK and internationally, which sets out that trustees have a legal duty to safeguard their charity’s money and assets, and avoid activities that may place their funds, assets or reputation at undue risk.
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We also provide charities with guidance on what happens when the Commission opens an inquiry.