Israeli police seize nearly 400,000 euros, accused of financing 'terrorism'

Israeli police announced Wednesday that they had confiscated "about 1.5 million shekels," more than 385,000 euros, an amount they believe is linked to "terrorism," during an operation in the occupied West Bank.

"Border police forces in the West Bank [Magav] and the Israeli army seized about 1.5 million shekels originating from terrorism financing," police said in a statement. They specified that part of the sum was seized in foreign currencies, including U.S. dollars and Jordanian dinars.

On Tuesday, the Israeli army carried out an operation in downtown Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, particularly targeting a currency exchange office, during which dozens of Palestinians were injured according to the Red Crescent. The army then explained it was targeting "a currency exchange business that was transferring funds intended for Hamas terrorists to finance terrorist activities against the State of Israel and its civilians."

While the Israeli army often operates in the West Bank, a territory occupied by Israel since 1967, it is relatively rare for them to intervene in the heart of cities, and even more so in Ramallah, where the Palestinian Authority is based. They have already intervened in Palestinian currency exchange offices in recent years, in spring 2025 and also in December 2023.

Violence in the West Bank has intensified since the beginning of the war in Gaza, sparked by an unprecedented attack by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

According to an AFP count based on data from the Palestinian Authority, at least 972 Palestinians, including many fighters but also many civilians, have been killed by Israeli soldiers or settlers in the West Bank since that date.

At least 36 Israelis, including civilians and soldiers, have been killed there in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations, according to official Israeli figures.