UK opens case into Restless Beings after UKLFI complaint — Jerusalem Post
The UK Charity Commission has opened a regulatory case into the human rights charity Restless Beings following a complaint by UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI). The complaint concerns possible cooperation between Restless Beings and Merciful Hands Gaza, an organization in the Gaza Strip that the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.
As The Jerusalem Post reports, the US agency stated that Merciful Hands Gaza was owned, controlled, or directed by Hamas and integrated into its military wing. According to the US Treasury Department, this wing provided the organization with funding and operational guidance.
Claims in the complaint
UK Lawyers for Israel said its investigation found overlapping personnel and joint humanitarian projects involving Restless Beings and Merciful Hands Gaza in 2022–2024. Materials submitted to the regulator mention Nura Barzak, described as a public relations specialist for Merciful Hands. According to UKLFI, she appeared in Restless Beings fundraising videos from 2022 until last year.
The complaint also mentions aid workers Alaa al-Tabtibi and Mohammad Abu al-Ouf. UKLFI claims they appeared in Merciful Hands Gaza materials and wore clothing bearing Restless Beings branding during aid operations. The organization also pointed to joint operations during Ramadan 2022 and the distribution of 450 meal portions in February 2024, funded by Restless Beings.
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According to the complaint, Merciful Hands Gaza had ties to senior Hamas figures. In particular, UKLFI stated that Muhammad Abu Nar headed the organization approximately from 2015 to 2023 and was reportedly a commander in Hamas’s military wing. The dossier also mentions a 2017 video featuring a speech by Hamas figure Ahmed Bahar at a Merciful Hands event and a report by a local media outlet that the charity was founded by Ahmed Jabari.
The regulator’s position
In its complaint, UK Lawyers for Israel asks for an examination of whether Restless Beings charitable assets or funds may have gone to Merciful Hands Gaza, whether appropriate due diligence of the partner was conducted, and whether the organization’s trustees fulfilled their legal duties.
The Charity Commission confirmed to UKLFI that it had opened a regulatory case, but stressed that this does not mean wrongdoing by Restless Beings has been established. The procedure is intended to allow the regulator to gather and assess additional information and determine whether further action is needed. Restless Beings had not responded to journalists’ request for comment by the time of publication.
