Hamas Operations from Turkey Highlight Urgency of U.S.-Israel Talks on Regional Security
As Netanyahu prepares to visit Trump on April 7 to discuss a range of issues including Israel-Turkey relations, recent revelations spotlight Turkey’s role as a hub for Hamas operations and propaganda
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to visit the White House on Monday, April 7 for discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump. Among the topics expected to be addressed are the deteriorating ties between Israel and Turkey. This topic has become increasingly urgent, as there have been several recent developments involving Hamas activity directed from Turkish territory.
Israeli intelligence recently uncovered a Hamas terror cell in Nablus that was funded and directed by the group’s headquarters in Turkey. This discovery adds to a growing body of evidence, including documented fundraising networks tied to Hamas operating within Turkey, and instances of Turkish state media and institutions amplifying Hamas-aligned narratives.
Terror Cell in Nablus Operated Under Hamas Command Based in Turkey
According to a joint statement by the Shin Bet and Israel Police, a terror cell from Nablus received roughly $40,000 from Hamas figures in Turkey to carry out shooting and bombing attacks in the West Bank. Security forces arrested six members of the cell between January and February 2025. During the investigation, an M-16 rifle and tens of thousands of dollars in cash were seized. One of the suspects led authorities to a roadside bomb buried near a key junction in the Samaria region, which was destroyed in a controlled demolition.
The Shin Bet stated that the cell acted under the direct instruction of Hamas’s overseas headquarters based in Turkey. The group’s goal was to attack Israeli security personnel and destabilize the region through coordinated violence.
Istanbul Identified as Strategic Base for Hamas Leadership
Security experts tracking Hamas operations abroad have identified Istanbul as the movement’s principal foreign base. Col. (res.) Michael Milshtein, former head of the IDF’s Department for Palestinian Affairs, noted that Turkey has become Hamas’s most active operational hub. Milshtein explained that Hamas’s presence in Lebanon and Syria has diminished, while its leadership in Turkey—especially Zaher Jabarin and Mousa Dudin—continues to direct military and logistical operations in Judea and Samaria.
Under Jabarin, the Turkish headquarters is composed of operatives who were deported during the 2011 Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange. This group remains involved in planning and funding operations across the West Bank.
U.S. Seizes Cryptocurrency Wallets Tied to Hamas Operatives in Turkey
The U.S. Department of Justice recently announced the seizure of $201,400 in cryptocurrency as part of an investigation into Hamas financing. The accounts—seized by the FBI’s Albuquerque field office—were registered to Palestinians located in Turkey and other international locations. One wallet contained $89,900, while three others held a combined total of approximately $111,500. These digital assets were designated for use in support of Hamas activity.
Turkish State Media Linked to Classroom Content in U.S. Public Schools
A recent legal complaint filed in California alleges that public school teachers in the Santa Clara Unified School District used classroom materials produced by TRT World, a Turkish state-run media outlet registered as a foreign agent in the United States. According to the complaint, a teacher showed students a TRT World video accusing Israel of committing a "Holocaust in Gaza." The video and related materials reportedly portrayed Israel as committing genocide and displayed maps replacing the State of Israel with “Palestine.”
Turkish Academic Institutions and NGOs Promote Hamas Narratives
The Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA), based at Istanbul Zaim University and directed by Sami Al-Arian—a former U.S.-deported Palestinian Islamic Jihad financier—has hosted several conferences and speaking events featuring Hamas-affiliated individuals.
On October 6, 2024, CIGA held a conference titled “Fourth International Conference on Palestine Toufan Al-Aqsa & Regional and International Orders.” The event's name echoed Hamas’s term for its October 7 attack on Israel, “Toufan Al-Aqsa” (Al-Aqsa Flood). Speakers at the event included Osama Hamdan, a senior Hamas official and U.S.-designated terrorist; Scott Ritter, a former U.S. Marine intelligence officer and UN weapons inspector who house was searched by the FBI; and Max Blumenthal, a U.S. journalist and editor of The Grayzone.
CIGA has also hosted Muhammad Mushanish, a key Hamas operative in Turkey, and Majed Al-Zeer, a Hamas leader sanctioned by both the U.S. and Israel. Al-Zeer has played a significant role in the group’s fundraising operations across Europe.
In March 2025, CIGA hosted a speaking event featuring Josephine Guilbeau, a former U.S. intelligence officer, alongside Sami Al-Arian. The involvement of a former U.S. security official in a forum associated with a known Palestinian-Islamic Jihad operative highlights serious security concerns and further illustrates how terror-affiliated networks continue to operate openly in Turkey.
Statements from Erdoğan and Turkish Government
On March 30, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan led a nationally televised Ramadan prayer in which he called for the destruction of Israel and expressed support for members of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Erdoğan has met publicly with Hamas officials during the ongoing conflict and has referred to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as comparable to Adolf Hitler. He has also stated that Turkey “firmly backs” Hamas and maintains direct contact with its leadership.
Confronting Hamas in Turkey
Turkey’s role in supporting Hamas, hosting its senior operatives, and providing platforms for affiliated figures and propaganda makes it a crucial focal point in the broader effort to counter terrorism and regional destabilization. As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss, among other issues, Israel-Turkey relations, these developments underscore the importance of addressing Ankara’s ties to Hamas as part of any strategic dialogue between allies confronting terror threats in the region.