The ADL launches a landmark lawsuit in U.S. courts to hold Hamas, Hezbollah, and their state sponsors accountable for the atrocities of October 7, demanding justice for Israeli victims.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has filed a sweeping lawsuit in U.S. federal court on behalf of the families devastated by Hamas’ barbaric October 7, 2023 massacre in Israel.
Building on a July 2024 case against Iran, Syria, and North Korea for enabling terrorism, this new suit directly targets eight terror groups responsible for orchestrating and executing the atrocities:
- Hamas
- Palestinian Islamic Jihad
- Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
- Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine
- Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade
- Palestinian Mujahideen Movement
- Popular Resistance Committees
- Hezbollah
Filed in partnership with powerhouse law firm Crowell & Moring, the lawsuit invokes two powerful legal tools: the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, which allows victims to sue state sponsors of terror, and the Anti-Terrorism Act, which enables direct lawsuits against terrorist organizations.
“The victims of the October 7 massacre deserve justice, accountability, and redress,” declared ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt. “This lawsuit seeks to hold accountable the state sponsors who armed, trained, and financed the terrorists—as well as the terror groups who carried out these unspeakable atrocities.”
The case seeks both compensation for victims’ families and punitive damages designed to cripple future terror operations. It also expands the scope of legal action by including additional families who were not part of the original July lawsuit.
For David and Hazel Brief, whose son Yona was killed by Hamas terrorists, the lawsuit is about truth and justice: “Our son’s life was senselessly cut short. We believe it is critical that those responsible are held accountable in a court of law, to ensure the record is clear about who supported, planned, and executed the violence that day.”
With this action, the ADL and the families of victims are sending a powerful message: October 7 will not be forgotten, and those who enabled it will face justice.
