Jerusalem: Bashar Masri, a prominent Palestinian-American developer, has requested a U.S. judge to dismiss a lawsuit that accuses him of aiding Hamas through his projects in Gaza.

Masri contends that engaging in economic activities in Gaza should not be conflated with terrorism.

The lawsuit, filed last year by American families who lost loved ones during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, claims that Masri's properties in Gaza concealed tunnels used by Hamas to launch its assault.

The complaint states that Hamas built a vast tunnel network across nearly all of Gaza before Israel’s military operation, and businesses faced challenges regarding investments in an area governed by a group deemed terrorist by the U.S.

Masri is being sued under the Anti-Terrorism Act for damages alongside four of his companies.

His legal team argues that there's no evidence to support the claim that Masri knowingly supported Hamas through his development work.

They assert that participating in economic projects in Gaza does not equate to supporting a terrorist organization.

The plaintiffs, including Eyal Waldman, an Israeli tech mogul and former business partner of Masri whose daughter was killed during the attacks, are seeking financial compensation.

Waldman had previously highlighted the potential for economic cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians as an example of how peace could be fostered through such initiatives.

Masri's projects in Gaza include luxury hotels along the Mediterranean coast and the Gaza Industrial Estate, which suffered significant damage during the conflict.

His most notable project is Rawabi, a $1.4 billion development in the occupied West Bank aimed at providing Palestinians with their first planned city.

This legal dispute centers on the complex relationship between economic investment in areas controlled by groups deemed terrorist and allegations of support for those groups's activities.