US Victims and Families Assert Iranian Role in Oct. 7 Hamas Terrorist Attack on Israel in New Federal Lawsuit

The Iranian government has expressed moral support for the Hamas attack but has denied any direct involvement.

In this photo provided by the Government of Israel, Judith Raanan, right, and her 17-year-old daughter Natalie are escorted by Israeli soldiers and Gal Hirsch, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's special coordinator for returning the hostages, as they return to Israel from captivity in the Gaza Strip, on Oct. 20, 2023. Government of Israel via AP Photo

Three families of U.S. citizens killed or taken hostage in the Oct. 7 attack by the Hamas terrorist group on Israel have launched a federal lawsuit against the Binance cryptocurrency exchange, and the governments of Syria and Iran, alleging they gave financial and material support for terrorism.

The complaint was filed on Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The plaintiffs include Chicago mother and daughter Judith and Natalie Raanan, who were vacationing in Israel when they were taken hostage on Oct. 7 and released after two weeks in captivity; Jeffrey Ludmir, a U.S. citizen and uncle of Daniel Levi Ludmir who was a physician working in Israel who was killed during the attack on Kibbutz Be'eri in southern Israel; and the family of Itay Glisko, a U.S. citizen who was serving in the Israeli military and was on duty at an Israeli military base when it came under attack.

Lawsuit Disputes Iranian Denials

The lawsuit seeks damages against the Iranian and Syrian governments under a U.S. law that creates a cause for action against a foreign government when it’s accused of sponsoring or engaging in acts of terrorism that cause injuries to U.S. citizens.