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On Monday, Israel targeted a building in Beirut\u2019s southern suburbs<\/span> that was reportedly a branch of the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Qard Al-Hassan financial institution, as it intensified attacks against organisations linked to the Lebanese group.<\/p>\n Al-Qard Al-Hassan, a quasi-banking institution that offers interest-free loans to people, is one of the many charity organisations run by Hezbollah, including schools, hospitals and low-price grocery stores.<\/p>\n Israel launched renewed attacks on Lebanon on March 2 after Hezbollah responded to the February 28 killing of Iran\u2019s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Hezbollah hadn\u2019t attacked Israel for more than a year, despite Israel\u2019s near-daily violations of the 2024 ceasefire.<\/p>\n Since then, Israel has attacked Lebanon hundreds of times, killing nearly 500 people, including 83 children, and wounding thousands more. Israel claims it is trying to destroy Hezbollah\u2019s capacity to attack its northern area.<\/p>\n So what do we know about Al-Qard Al-Hassan, and Israel is targeting it?<\/p>\n Here\u2019s all you need to know:<\/p>\n It is a financial institution that offers microcredit to people in Lebanon. Many people in the country might use it to keep money or to take loans on gold. It differs from a traditional bank in that it doesn\u2019t take banking fees or interest on the loans.<\/p>\n The institution, founded in 1983, is linked to Hezbollah but serves people of all religious communities. It became more prominent in recent years, after Lebanon\u2019s banking system collapsed in 2019.<\/p>\n It mostly deals in smaller loans, often backed by gold deposits, but also offers bank accounts without traditional banking fees. Al-Qard Al-Hassan is not regulated by the Banque du Liban, Lebanon\u2019s central bank, or part of the international banking network.<\/p>\n A local Beirut resident, who said he has used Al-Qard Al-Hassan for 15 years, told Al Jazeera that the organisation has continued to operate despite the Israeli attacks.<\/p>\n Fouad Debs, a lawyer and member of the Depositors Union, which has fought Lebanon\u2019s banking system for depositors\u2019 access to their money blocked during the country\u2019s 2019 financial crisis, said that Al-Qard Al-Hassan provided many who were unbanked with a financial standing or access to loans.<\/p>\n Israel claims it is trying to destroy Hezbollah and its capacity to operate as an organisation.<\/p>\n Hezbollah was established in response to Israel\u2019s 1982 invasion of Lebanon. It has since evolved into one of the most powerful players in Lebanese politics. Its political ally, the Amal Movement, is a major player in Lebanon\u2019s fractured democratic political system.<\/p>\n The US Treasury Department applied sanctions on Al-Qard Al-Hassan in 2007 after accusing Hezbollah of using it as a cover to hide its financial activities and to gain access to the international financial system. Those sanctions were strengthened in 2021 and again earlier this year<\/span>.<\/p>\nWhat is Al-Qard Al-Hassan?<\/h2>\n
Why is it being targeted?<\/h2>\n