GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing, announced Jan. 31 that Hamas started receiving financial support for the first time in bitcoins from its supporters around the world. Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency and an international payment system comparable to international currencies.

The announcement is a new attempt by the Hamas movement to challenge the Israeli and Palestinian Authority (PA) policies aimed to dry up its resources. The Hamas-run Gaza Strip has been reeling under an Israeli blockade since 2007. Ever since, Israel has been controlling security at the only commercial crossing with Gaza, the Karam Abu Salem crossing, while Egypt imposes restrictions on the Rafah crossing for the passage of people in southern Gaza.

Donations can be received through different accounts of donors on online bitcoin platforms. A new account consists of a wallet for the currency balance. One can buy currencies through a medium, a bank account or credit card, or through a donation button in the wallet. The amount is then transferred to al-Qassam Brigades’ account, which is announced daily via the messaging service Telegram.

Two days before publishing the address of al-Qassam Brigades’ bitcoin wallet that is receiving donations, its military spokesman Abu Obeida urged Hamas supporters around the world, through a post on his Telegram channel, to increase their donations.