The UK’s Charity Commission has opened a regulatory compliance case into the human rights charity Restless Beings following a legal complaint by UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) regarding its ties to a Gaza-based organization designated by the United States as controlled by Hamas’s military wing.
The regulatory scrutiny follows a complaint UKLFI submitted detailing extensive evidence of cooperation between Restless Beings and Merciful Hands Gaza, an organization the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated in January as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity.
According to the US Treasury, Merciful Hands was owned, controlled, or directed by Hamas and integrated into its military wing, which provided funding and operational instructions.
UKLFI investigation documented overlap between Restless Beings, Merciful Hands
UKLFI's investigation documented overlapping personnel and joint humanitarian projects conducted between 2022 and 2024.
Evidence submitted to regulators included shared personnel such as Nura Barzaq, who was identified as a public relations officer for Merciful Hands and appeared in Restless Beings fundraising videos between 2022 and last year.
The dossier also identified aid workers Alaa al-Tabtibi and Mohammad Abu al-Ouf, who appeared in material published by Merciful Hands while filmed wearing Restless Beings-branded clothing during aid operations.
Additional findings cited joint aid operations during Ramadan 2022 featuring Restless Beings branding on packages, banners, and worker apparel in material published by Merciful Hands, alongside direct funding instances, including a February 2024 distribution of 450 meals funded by Restless Beings.
Senior Hamas figures tied to Merciful Hands administration
The complaint further highlighted connections between Merciful Hands and senior Hamas figures, including Muhammad Abu Nar, who chaired Merciful Hands from approximately 2015 to 2023 and was reportedly a commander within the al-Qassam Brigades.
The dossier pointed to additional archival records, noting that footage from 2017 showed senior Hamas figure Ahmed Behar addressing a Merciful Hands gathering, alongside a local media report attributing the founding of the charity to senior Hamas military commander Ahmed Jabari.
UKLFI contended that these publicly accessible indicators should have prompted rigorous background checks by Restless Beings prior to and throughout their operational partnership.
Restless Beings claims to have provided medical supplies, food to Gaza
According to Restless Beings' 2025 annual filing, the organization stated that it "produced a groundbreaking report on Israel's Genocide in Gaza. Led the calls on UK and EU Governments to impose arms embargo on Israel." The report also claimed that it provides "Food, medicals supplies and life-saving support for victims of Israel's Genocide in Palestine."
The complaint asked the regulator to examine whether charitable assets or funds were channeled to Merciful Hands, whether proper partner-vetting procedures were followed, and whether trustees fulfilled their legal duties.
In response to the submission, the Charity Commission confirmed to UKLFI that it has opened a regulatory compliance case. The regulator emphasized that opening a case does not mean it has reached any findings against Restless Beings, explaining that the process allows the regulator to obtain and assess further information to determine whether regulatory action is required.
A spokesperson for UKLFI said, “We welcome the Charity Commission’s decision to open a regulatory compliance case following our complaint. British donors giving money to humanitarian causes are entitled to know that their donations will not benefit terrorist organizations. Where a charity works with an overseas partner that has been identified by the US Treasury as controlled by Hamas’s military wing, there are extremely serious questions about due diligence, financial oversight and the trustees’ responsibilities.
“Our investigation uncovered substantial evidence of shared personnel, joint operations and funding between Restless Beings and Merciful Hands. We believe these matters demand thorough scrutiny,” the UKLFI spokesperson said.
Restless Beings did not respond to an emailed request for comment by publication time.