A court in Istanbul has ordered 15 out of 34 individuals, detained over suspicion of spying for Israel, to remain in prison pending trial, according to Turkey’s justice minister. The detainees were arrested for allegedly planning activities involving reconnaissance, targeting, assaulting, and potentially kidnapping foreign nationals residing in Turkey.
Yilmaz Tunc, the Justice Minister, stated via social media that 26 of the suspects face charges of engaging in political or military espionage on behalf of Israeli intelligence. Eleven were released under judicial supervision, while eight are awaiting deportation.
Reportedly, Israel’s Mossad recruited Palestinians and Syrians within Turkey for operations against foreign residents in the country, as per the state-run Anadolu news agency. The operation was said to have focused on Palestinian nationals and their families amid the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
One of the suspects allegedly gathered information about Palestinian patients who had recently arrived in Turkey for medical treatment. Turkey has been receiving numerous Palestinian patients from Gaza since the Israel-Hamas conflict began.
These suspects were apprehended in raids conducted across 57 locations in Istanbul and seven other provinces. Earlier, the head of Israel’s internal security agency had mentioned their readiness to target Hamas in various countries, including Lebanon, Turkey, and Qatar.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan cautioned Israel about “serious consequences” should they follow through with threats to target Hamas officials within Turkish territory.
While Turkey and Israel had restored diplomatic ties in 2022, their relationship deteriorated swiftly after the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted. Ankara strongly criticized Israel’s military actions in Gaza, leading to the withdrawal of diplomats from both countries.
Initially reserved in his reaction to the Israel-Hamas war, Erdogan intensified his criticism over time, likening Israel’s actions in Gaza to “genocide.” He called for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to face prosecution for “war crimes” and drew comparisons to Adolf Hitler.
Erdogan, known for hosting several Hamas officials in the past, has defended the militant group, which is designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States, and the European Union. He has expressed support for Hamas, framing its fight as a struggle for the liberation of its land and people.
