The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has launched a new lawsuit on behalf of families who lost loved ones in the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7,
2023. This lawsuit expands on one the ADL filed last year against Iran, Syria, and North Korea, which accused those governments of backing terrorism. Now, the ADL is directly targeting eight militant groups they say played a role in planning and carrying out the attacks. Those groups include Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, and several others.
The case leans on two U.S. laws: the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, which lets victims sue countries that sponsor terrorism, and the Anti-Terrorism Act, which allows lawsuits against terrorist organizations themselves. The ADL is partnering with the law firm Crowell & Moring, which has a long history of working on cases tied to national security and terrorism.
ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said the goal is simple: justice for the victims.
“The victims of the October 7 massacre deserve justice, accountability and redress,” Greenblatt said. “This lawsuit seeks to do that by holding those responsible accountable—from the states that supplied funding and weapons to the groups that carried out the atrocities.”
Families who lost loved ones in the attacks are part of the case, including some who weren’t involved in the original lawsuit. David and Hazel Brief, whose son Yona died from his injuries that day, shared why they believe this step is necessary:
“Our son’s life was senselessly cut short,” they said. “It’s critical that those who planned, supported, and carried out the violence are held accountable in a court of law—so the truth is clear and the world never forgets what happened.”
Like other lawsuits filed since October 7, the case is seeking compensation for victims, but also punitive damages designed to discourage future acts of terrorism. Photo by Hoheit (¿!), Wikimedia commons.
