Sida's director general Jakob Granit was called to a meeting at the Foreign Ministry on Monday following reports that Swedish aid funds may have supported activities linked to Hamas. Aid Minister Benjamin Dousa expresses continued trust in Sida and stresses that an investigation will clarify the facts. The organization ICHR, which has received 55 million kronor since 2011, denies any terrorism links.
On Monday, October 27, 2025, Sida's director general Jakob Granit was summoned to the Foreign Ministry (UD) for a meeting with Aid and Trade Minister Benjamin Dousa. The meeting followed reports from Danish media alleging that Swedish aid funds, totaling 55 million kronor paid to The Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR) between 2011 and 2025, may have financed police trainings and panel discussions involving individuals linked to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. These activities reportedly occurred before Hamas's terror attack on October 7, 2023.
The information, partly from pro-Israeli sources via Danish UD, prompted Sida to pause long-term aid after the attack and conduct a review in February 2024, which found no terrorism links. Granit emphasizes that Sida had "very good controls" of ICHR and that the organization confirmed no partners belong to Hamas. "We have not conducted any aid through this organization to Gaza since the Hamas attack in October 2023," he says.
Sida is now investigating the allegations in collaboration with Denmark, Finland, Norway, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, all of which have supported ICHR. Dousa, who posed four specific questions about how the funds reached there, why information was delayed, and how the organization passed reviews, states: "We have agreed to get to the bottom of what actually happened together with Denmark." He does not rule out Sweden reclaiming funds if they violate EU rules and expresses anger over the previous government's steering.
Both stress that the support aligned with the government's mandate on human rights, democracy, and gender equality in the Palestinian territories, despite Hamas's control of Gaza since 2006. ICHR calls the claims "completely unfounded." Granit warns it is unfortunate if it appears as terrorism financing but assures: "If anything turns out to be incorrect here, we will take appropriate measures." Dousa confirms: "I continue to have trust in Sida."
