WASHINGTON — A coalition of more than 140 Americans, including relatives of people killed or wounded in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, filed a federal civil lawsuit Thursday in Washington, seeking at least $7 billion in damages from militant groups and state actors. The complaint alleges the defendants participated, aided or provided material support for the assault that killed about 1,200 people in Israel and abducted hundreds more. Plaintiffs name Hamas and its affiliates, including Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, as well as Iran, Syria and North Korea, which are already designated state sponsors or terrorist organizations by the United States. The action accuses the groups of operating as a network that helped plan and execute the violence.
Under federal law, foreign governments and organizations designated as terrorists can be held liable for deaths or injuries attributed to acts of terrorism or for providing support for them. The suit cites findings by the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry to argue that the defendants' actions contributed to the harm suffered by Americans, either directly or through support networks.
More than 140 plaintiffs include U.S. citizens who were killed, wounded or left behind survivors. The lawsuit seeks to tap a fund created by Congress to compensate victims of terrorism, financed by seized assets, fines or penalties levied against entities that do business with a state sponsor of terrorism. If successful, the plaintiffs could receive payments from that fund in addition to civil damages awarded in the case.
The case comes as the war between Israel and Hamas enters its second year of a broader regional conflict. Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel in 2023, killing about 1,200 people, abducting 251 and triggering a brutal exchange of hostilities that continues in various forms. Israel has released and negotiated exchanges for hostages, and Israel believes about 48 hostages remain in Gaza, with around 20 believed by Israel to be alive.
The Gaza Health Ministry, part of the Hamas-run administration, says the Palestinian death toll has surpassed 65,000, though it does not distinguish civilians from combatants and notes that women and children make up roughly half of the dead. The U.S. Justice Department last year filed criminal charges against Hamas leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, alleging they conspired to murder U.S. nationals in the Oct. 7 attack. Sinwar was killed by Israeli forces in October 2024. Hamas has repeatedly said it does not recognize Israel and frames its actions as part of a Palestinian struggle for rights.
The plaintiffs argue that, if successful, the case could help hold the groups and their state sponsors financially accountable for the attacks, and they highlight the possibility of accessing compensation through a congressionally created fund for terrorism victims. The lawsuit represents another front in the United States’ legal approach to confronting terrorism, beyond criminal prosecutions and sanctions, and it underscores ongoing questions about accountability and redress for American victims.