Austrian authorities accuse the founder of Gaza Now of financing Hamas, a charge he has denied.Published On 11 Nov 202511 Nov 2025Click here to share on social mediashare2ShareA court in the Netherlands has ruled imprisoned Palestinian journalist Mustafa Ayyash can be extradited to Austria, after he fled the country earlier this year, claiming Austrian authorities raided his home and abused his pregnant wife.Ayyash, the founder of the news site Gaza Now, escaped to Austria after he lost relatives during Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. He had been living in Austria since 2016, but says he was forced to flee to the Netherlands after Austrian authorities raided his house and physically abused his pregnant wife.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list“He was actually in Gaza when the house of his family was bombed, and they think, his relatives believe, that he was actually targeted as a journalist for doing his job,” Al Jazeera’s Step Vassen reported from Amsterdam following the Dutch court’s ruling. “Many of his family members passed away.”Austria has accused Ayyash of financing Hamas after Gaza Now asked for donations for humanitarian efforts in Gaza. United States and United Kingdom authorities also sanctioned Gaza Now in 2024 over its fundraising efforts, accusing the media site of “having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Hamas.”Ayyash has been imprisoned in the Netherlands since September 19. A Dutch court ruled on Tuesday that Austrian authorities had presented enough evidence to justify Ayyash’s extradition. However, judges in Amsterdam did not rule on whether or not Ayyash was guilty of the charges. Advertisement Ayyash has denied the accusations. If convicted for “terrorism” in Austria he could face up to 10 years in prison.In his fight against extradition, Ayyash’s lawyer cited his deteriorating mental health, noting that the journalist is currently being housed in the psychiatr …
