Is it permissible to consider what my brother takes as rent for the apartment as part of my Zakat, without his knowledge, knowing that he takes half of the rent instead of two-thirds, under the pretext of educating his children, and that part of my money is in Amman while I live in Gaza and give my Zakat to my relatives there?

If your brother is among the eight categories eligible to receive Zakat—for instance, if he does not find enough to cover his basic needs and the needs of those he supports—then it is permissible for you to give him Zakat. However, if he finds enough to suffice him, or if his working children provide for him, then it is not permissible to give him Zakat. If your brother earns wages or owes you money as a debt, and you wish to waive the debt as Zakat, this is not permissible. And if he takes money by force, it is not permissible to count it as Zakat; rather, you must purify it with Zakat if you recover it from him.