Mustafa Ayyash, founder of Gaza Now, can be extradited from the Netherlands to Austria after a Dutch court ruled Austria presented sufficient evidence. Ayyash, who has been detained since September 19, denies charges that he financed Hamas through Gaza Now’s fundraising; the outlet was sanctioned by the US and UK in 2024. His lawyer says his mental health is deteriorating and he is being treated in the psychiatric ward of the detention facility. The court ruled on extradition procedures but did not decide Ayyash’s guilt or innocence.
Dutch Court Clears Way to Extradite Palestinian Journalist Mustafa Ayyash to Austria
Mustafa Ayyash, founder of Gaza Now, can be extradited from the Netherlands to Austria after a Dutch court ruled Austria presented sufficient evidence. Ayyash, who has been detained since September 19, denies charges that he financed Hamas through Gaza Now’s fundraising; the outlet was sanctioned by the US and UK in 2024. His lawyer says his mental health is deteriorating and he is being treated in the psychiatric ward of the detention facility. The court ruled on extradition procedures but did not decide Ayyash’s guilt or innocence.
02:39 AM, 11/12/2025Conflict
Dutch court approves extradition request
A court in the Netherlands has ruled that Palestinian journalist Mustafa Ayyash may be extradited to Austria, where he faces terrorism-related charges. Ayyash, the founder of the news site Gaza Now, has been detained in the Netherlands since September 19 while authorities process Austria's extradition request.
Legal case and charges
Austrian prosecutors accuse Ayyash of financing Hamas after Gaza Now solicited donations for humanitarian aid in Gaza. Authorities in the United States and the United Kingdom also sanctioned Gaza Now in 2024, saying the outlet's fundraising efforts materially assisted or provided support to Hamas. A Dutch court concluded on Tuesday that Austria presented sufficient evidence to justify extradition but did not rule on Ayyash's guilt or innocence.
Ayyash's account and defense
Ayyash denies the allegations. He says he fled Austria earlier this year after an alleged raid on his home and the physical abuse of his pregnant wife. Colleagues and relatives say he lost family members in Israeli strikes on Gaza and that he was in Gaza when his family's home was hit; some have suggested he was targeted because of his journalism. An Al Jazeera reporter in Amsterdam said many of his relatives were killed.
"He was actually in Gaza when the house of his family was bombed," an Al Jazeera reporter said following the ruling, noting relatives believe he was targeted for his reporting.
Mental health and detention
In opposing extradition, Ayyash's lawyer highlighted his deteriorating mental health; court filings indicate he is being treated in the psychiatric ward of the detention facility where he is held. If tried and convicted in Austria on terrorism-related counts, he could face up to 10 years in prison under Austrian law.
Context
The case takes place amid heavy and prolonged fighting between Israel and Palestinian groups. As of October 10, 2025, reports show that nearly 300 journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza, including 10 staff from Al Jazeera. Israel has at times asserted that some journalists who were struck had ties to militant groups; these claims have been contested by press freedom advocates and other observers.
Reported casualty figures from the broader conflict cited in related reporting state that more than 69,000 Palestinians have been killed and 170,694 wounded since October 2023. The October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks in Israel are reported to have resulted in roughly 1,139 deaths and about 200 people taken captive.
Next steps
The Dutch court's decision allows Austrian authorities to proceed with extradition. The Amsterdam judges did not decide on the underlying allegations, which will be for Austrian courts to address if Ayyash is transferred. Observers, rights groups and media organisations are likely to watch subsequent proceedings closely given the case's legal and humanitarian sensitivities.