Why Oct. 7 Victims Are Suing a Palestinian Mogul, with Gary Osen
Apr 10, 2025
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In this engaging discussion, attorney Gary Osen sheds light on the lawsuit against Palestinian mogul Bashar Masri, accused of colluding with Hamas using his properties for attacks, including the tragic events on October 7. Osen explains how infrastructure projects, meant to foster growth, have instead enabled terrorism. The conversation dives into the complexities of accountability in Gaza, the challenges of humanitarian efforts, and the difficulties of prosecuting those who fund terror. Osen emphasizes the need for justice and a future free from conflict.
The lawsuit against Bashar Masri illustrates the troubling intersection of business, international aid, and Hamas's militant activities in Gaza.
The podcast highlights the disillusionment surrounding moderate leadership in Palestine as they often inadvertently align with extremist agendas.
Deep dives
Bashar Masri's Controversial Background and Allegations
Bashar Masri, a Palestinian-American entrepreneur, is at the center of a significant lawsuit that accuses him of having ties to Hamas through his business ventures in Gaza. Despite portraying himself as a moderate advocating for economic development, the lawsuit alleges that Masri's hotels and industrial park served as bases for Hamas activities, particularly during the October 7 attack. With projects funded in part by international aid organizations and positioned strategically adjacent to Hamas operations, Masri’s enterprises are scrutinized for contributing to terrorism while portraying a message of peace and development. This dichotomy raises questions about the effectiveness of moderate leadership in conflict-prone regions and the complexities of international investment in areas with terrorist influences.
Unveiling the Role of Hotels in Hamas Operations
The podcast reveals that Masri's hotels, particularly the Al Mashtal Hotel and the Blue Beach Hotel, became intertwined with Hamas due to their proximity to militant infrastructure. These hotels were not only utilized by international journalists and NGOs but were also reportedly integrated into Hamas's tunnel network, providing strategic advantages for militant operations. The allegations include that the hotels served as launch points for rocket attacks on Israel during conflicts, exemplifying a troubling connection between commerce and conflict, where supposed spaces of peace and hospitality were converted into operational assets for terrorism. This situation highlights the peril of foreign investments in regions governed by extremist factions and the deceptive appearance of 'peaceful' business enterprises in active conflict zones.
The Legal and Philosophical Implications of the Lawsuit
The lawsuit not only seeks financial compensation for victims affected by the October 7 attacks but also aims to bring light to the broader issue of corporate complicity in terrorism. By holding individuals and companies accountable for their connections to groups like Hamas, it emphasizes the need for transparency and responsibility in international business practices. The discussion reflects on the historical quest for moderate Palestinian leaders who could pivot towards peaceful coexistence, which has often led to disillusionment as these figures sometimes align more closely with militant agendas than anticipated. Ultimately, the case underscores the complex interplay between hopes for peace, the harsh realities of the region, and the challenges of achieving true stability in the face of entrenched extremism.
When people concerned with the future of the Palestinian people talk about the future, they often say, hopefully, that change will come only once we can replace Hamas and other terror groups with entrepreneurial technocrats more interested in building projects than in starting wars. They’re talking, in short, about men like Bashar Masri, a Palestinian-American mogul who developed some of the best known and most lucrative real estate projects in Gaza, including luxury hotels and thriving industrial zones. But as a new bombshell lawsuit argues, Masri’s properties were all used as launching pads for Hamas attacks, including on October 7, 2023, and Masri himself knowingly collaborated with individuals closely tied to the terror group. Gary Osen, one of the attorneys representing October 7 victims in the lawsuit, joins Liel to talk about how Hamas’s terror infrastructure dominates everything in Gaza, and about how the UN and other international aid groups gave millions to support projects that did little more than give terrorists better cover.
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