As Turkey hosts the ongoing NATO Summit in Ankara, its role in the evolving Gaza diplomacy has come under renewed scrutiny following a series of reports and official Israeli statements alleging that senior Hamas operatives continue to direct terrorist activities against Israel from Turkish territory, even as the Trump administration advances its proposed “Board of Peace” initiative aimed at stabilising the Gaza Strip after the war with Turkey among the regional participants expected to contribute to future security and political arrangements.
The proposed framework has raised fresh questions because Israeli security agencies maintain that Hamas has established one of its most significant overseas operational infrastructures inside Turkey. According to Israeli authorities, the organisation has used Turkish territory for recruiting operatives, directing attacks, moving funds and weapons, and coordinating activities in the West Bank while maintaining political and financial networks under the protection of the Turkish state.
Israeli security agencies detail Hamas infrastructure in Turkey
Israeli security authorities recently announced that they had thwarted dozens of terrorist attacks planned and coordinated by Hamas members operating from Turkey. According to Israel’s Shin Bet security agency, Hamas’s so-called “West Bank Headquarters” functions from Turkish territory and has intensified its activities over the past year.
In a statement released by the agency, Shin Bet said that operatives based in Turkey have been directing and expanding military activities in both the West Bank and Israel by using Turkish territory as an operational base. The agency revealed that the network recruits terrorists, facilitates the movement of money and weapons, and issues operational instructions to militants carrying out attacks.
.@POTUS joins NATO member leaders for a group photo at the NATO Summit in Turkey. pic.twitter.com/KbKOqcAU4j
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 8, 2026
Israeli authorities identified Istanbul-based senior Hamas official Zaher Jabarin as the head of Hamas’s West Bank operations. According to the agency, Jabarin oversees activities linked to attacks in the West Bank while operating from Turkey.
The Shin Bet also named several other Hamas operatives who it said continue to live in Turkey while coordinating terrorist activities against Israel.
Among those identified was Ayman Sharawna, whom Israeli authorities accused of recruiting terrorists. Mohammed Mallah was identified as being responsible for transferring funds intended for terrorist operations. Majed Jaaba was accused of assisting in obtaining the weapons used in a deadly shooting attack near Jerusalem. Walid Abu Nassar was named as the financier of Hamas cells operating in Bethlehem, while Salam Yaish was identified as an operative involved in recruiting individuals to carry out attacks.
According to the Israeli agency, these operatives conduct their activities without interference from Turkish territory while making use of infrastructure inside the country to transfer operational instructions and financial support to militants in the West Bank.
Israeli authorities also announced earlier this year that another Hamas-linked terrorist network operating in the West Bank had been uncovered during an investigation. According to Shin Bet, the network was directed by Mahmoud Radwan, a Hamas operative based in Turkey.
Israeli officials stated that Radwan had been released as part of a prisoner-hostage exchange before being deported to Turkey in January 2025. Before his release, Radwan had been imprisoned in Israel for his role in the 2001 murder of Israeli citizen Yossi Alfasi.
Financial transfers and operational planning highlighted in Israeli reports
Beyond operational coordination, Israeli military and intelligence agencies have also pointed out that Hamas has used Turkey as an important financial hub.
According to Israeli officials, Hamas operatives established a secret money-exchange network inside Turkey that facilitated the transfer of hundreds of millions of dollars from Iran to Hamas leaders. The reported financial system enabled large-scale movement of funds while supporting the organisation’s activities across the region.
The allegations place Turkey at the centre of concerns regarding Iran’s continued support for Hamas at a time when the United States and several of its regional partners are seeking to curb Iranian influence across West Asia.
Israeli authorities have further cited documents recovered by the Israel Defence Forces during military operations in Gaza as evidence that Hamas has expanded its activities inside Turkey beyond political engagement.
According to those documents, Hamas uses Turkey not only as a political refuge but also as an operational centre for planning attacks, recruiting operatives, transferring funds and laundering money.
Israeli officials also referred to one document, which they said outlined Hamas’s proposal to establish a specialised branch in Turkey responsible for coordinating attacks against Israeli targets abroad. According to the document, the proposed activities included assassinations as well as attacks targeting Israeli vessels.
The reports have added to long-standing Israeli concerns that Hamas has been able to maintain external command structures outside Gaza while continuing to direct operations against Israel.
Ankara’s position on Hamas and recent statements draw attention
Turkey has never designated Hamas as a terrorist organisation. Instead, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has consistently described Hamas as a legitimate political movement and a “resistance” organisation.
The Turkish government’s position has remained unchanged despite repeated Israeli allegations regarding Hamas activities inside Turkey.
At the diplomatic level, Turkey has continued to present itself as an important regional actor capable of contributing to conflict resolution in West Asia while maintaining support for the Palestinian cause.
"Israel remains committed to implementing President Trump's plan in full, with the disarmament of Hamas and all other terrorist organizations and the complete demilitarization of the Gaza Strip at its core."
— Israel's Minister of Foreign Affairs, @gidonsaar, in joint statements… pic.twitter.com/HonMZWvYDV
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) July 7, 2026
The debate surrounding Turkey’s role has intensified further following recent remarks by Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci regarding Jerusalem.
During a public address, Ciftci declared that Jerusalem would one day return to Turkish rule, stating, “Just as in the past, those places will again be ours. They will again, God willing, come under our rule and authority.”
The remarks triggered a strong reaction from Israel and added to growing attention over Ankara’s increasingly confrontational rhetoric regarding Israel and the Gaza conflict.
Israeli officials argue that repeated public expressions of support for Hamas, meetings with Hamas delegations, and continued accusations against Israel have strengthened Hamas politically and diplomatically while reinforcing the organisation’s confidence during the ongoing conflict.
Broader regional role and questions over future mediation
Turkey’s regional influence has expanded significantly over the past decade through a series of military and diplomatic interventions across neighbouring regions.
In Libya, Turkey’s military intervention in 2020 prevented the capture of Tripoli by General Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army and helped preserve the Government of National Accord.
The same year, Turkey emerged as Azerbaijan’s principal military supporter during the conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh. Ankara supplied extensive military training, operational planning assistance and armed drones that played a major role in destroying Armenian air-defence systems and fortified positions, contributing significantly to Azerbaijan’s military victory. These interventions have strengthened Turkey’s strategic profile across the wider region while reinforcing its position as a major regional power with expanding military capabilities.
Hamas says it has dissolved its government in Gaza and is preparing to transfer power to a United Nations-backed technical committee. https://t.co/lKtg52R2RX
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 7, 2026
At the same time, the revelations concerning Hamas have generated renewed attention because the Trump administration’s proposed “Board of Peace” initiative seeks participation from regional governments in efforts aimed at stabilising Gaza and eventually addressing Hamas’s military capabilities.
The inclusion of Turkey in discussions surrounding future security arrangements has coincided with the publication of Israeli intelligence findings saying that Hamas continues to maintain operational, logistical and financial networks inside the country.
According to the Israeli reports, Hamas operatives based in Turkey continue to recruit members, transfer funds, coordinate attacks, facilitate weapons procurement and maintain command structures connected to militant activities in the West Bank.
The reports also state that senior Hamas officials, including Zaher Jabarin, remain active in Turkey, while Mahmoud Radwan directed another terrorist network from Turkish territory after being deported there in January 2025 following his release in a prisoner-hostage exchange.
Israeli authorities further maintain that Turkey serves as a financial conduit through which hundreds of millions of dollars originating from Iran have reached Hamas leadership through clandestine money-transfer mechanisms.
The combination of operational command centres, financial networks, recruitment activities and political engagement has placed Turkey’s role under increased international attention as diplomatic efforts continue to focus on the future governance and security of the Gaza Strip.
The developments have brought renewed focus to Ankara’s relationship with Hamas at a time when regional governments and international stakeholders are discussing post-war arrangements, counterterrorism measures and the broader security architecture for West Asia.
