Swedish Aid Funds Allegedly Misused by Hamas-Linked Group, Minister Demands Accountability
Swedish aid funds linked to Hamas via the ICHR have prompted demands for accountability and paused aid to Palestine amid misuse concerns.
- • Swedish aid agency Sida disbursed over 55 million SEK to ICHR from 2011 to 2025.
- • ICHR is linked to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, with funds allegedly used for police training and extremist activities.
- • Aid Minister Benjamin Dousa demands explanations and takes responsibility for oversight failures.
- • Sweden has paused all development aid to Palestine following these revelations, while Denmark investigates its aid to ICHR.
- • A new two-year aid package for ICHR is being prepared, emphasizing continued aid with stronger safeguards.
Key details
Swedish development aid reportedly funneled to an organization linked with Hamas has sparked a political backlash, with Aid Minister Benjamin Dousa demanding urgent explanations and accountability. Since 2011, the Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR), connected to Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, has received over 55 million SEK in Swedish aid, according to reports. Dousa expressed outrage upon revelations that some of the funds may have been used by Hamas for training police and conducting panel discussions involving both Hamas and Islamic Jihad factions.
Dousa has taken full responsibility for the aid distribution issues and raised four critical questions addressing how the funds reached ICHR, the oversight mechanisms in place, and why Sida - the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency - delayed informing the government about these troubling links. Following the October 7 attacks and the emerging reports, Sweden has paused all development aid to Palestine to prevent any further potential diversion of funds to extremist groups. Despite the suspension, a new two-year aid package to ICHR is reportedly being prepared for rollout in 2026.
Aside from Sweden’s internal scrutiny, Denmark is also investigating whether its aid to ICHR may have violated EU sanctions against Hamas and Islamic Jihad, signaling a wider regional concern about aid oversight and misuse. Dousa emphasized Sweden's firm stance, stating, "No Swedish taxpayer money should end up in the hands of terrorists," reinforcing the government's commitment to tighten control over aid funds.
This controversy exposes significant challenges in monitoring how international development funds are utilized in politically sensitive regions and underscores the need for rigorous oversight of aid recipients to prevent funding of terrorist activities. As investigations continue, the Swedish government faces mounting pressure to enhance transparency and safeguard its humanitarian efforts from exploitation by militant groups.