Turkey Accused Of Hosting Hamas Political Office After Relocated From Qatar
Early last week several media reports and sources saud that the government of Qatar ordered the leaders of Hamas to leave the country, following pressure from Washington, kicking off speculation over where Hamas leadership would go.
A fresh Israeli media report alleged that Turkey is now hosting them. "Senior members of Hamas’s abroad leadership left Qatar last week for Turkey, an Arab diplomat told The Times of Israel on Sunday, after Doha said it was walking away from efforts to mediate an end to the war in Gaza," the report said.
"The Arab diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity, downplayed the significance of the move for the terror group, stressing that Hamas’s leadership abroad already spends much of its time in Turkey when they are not holding meetings in Qatar," the report continued.
If accurate it would shine a spotlight on NATO member Turkey and its dealings with a group designated by the US and Europe, and many countries internationally, as a terrorist organization.
But this is a charge which Turkey is vehemently denying on Monday, per Reuters:
A Turkish diplomatic source dismissed on Monday reports that Hamas had moved its political office to Turkey from Qatar, adding that members of the Palestinian militant group only visited the country from time to time.
The diplomatic source said: "Hamas Political Bureau members visit Turkey from time to time. Claims that indicate the Hamas Political Bureau has moved to Turkey do not reflect the truth."
Hamas also rejected the reports that its offices are being set up in Turkey as "rumors the (Israeli) occupation is trying to publish from time to time."
But if the reports are true, Turkey and Hamas would have every incentive to lie about it - given Israeli spies have long waged a surveillance and assassination campaign targeting Hamas operatives living and working abroad.
Just days ago President Erdogan announced that Turkey has cut all ties with Israel. "We, as the State and Government of the Republic of Turkey, have cut off relations with Israel. We do not have any relationship with Israel at this point. Period," he said.
He and other top Turkish officials have decried genocide of Palestinians by the Israeli military. Erdogan said further, "As you know, intense efforts are being made to keep the pressure on Israel alive and to take coercive measures against this country on the basis of international law We show it."
Turkey even recently blocked an Israeli airplane carrying the Israeli president from traversing over its airspace, and so he wasn't able to attend the COP29 summit in Baku, Azerbaijan. Erdogan has long been known to cozy up to Hamas leaders, even in photographed, well-publicized events.