As part of Turkey's objective to play a neutral role in the region, the country tries to be on speaking terms with bothIsrael andHamas.[1][2] From time to time, Israel has suggested Turkey to support Hamas,[3][4] while in other cases it has opposed the support.[5]
Unlike Israel, Turkey has never listed Hamas as a terrorist organisation. In 2010, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan described Hamas as "resistance fighters who are struggling to defend their land".[8][9] Israel later said that in the same way it condemned thePKK and listed it as a terrorist organization, it expected Turkey to do the same for Hamas.[10] Turkey hosts senior Hamas officials, includingSaleh al-Arouri. Hamas headIsmail Haniyeh and former chiefKhaled Mashal visit Turkey often.[11][12][13]
According to Israel'sShin Bet, Hamas has established a command post in Turkey which it uses to recruit operatives and oversee operations in the Middle East.[14] Hamas' Turkey branch reportedly takes decisions without taking into account the movement as a whole and without involving the Hamas leadership.[15][16] Hamas has reportedly planned attacks against Israel from Turkey, including theabduction and killing of three Israeli teenagers in 2014.[17] In 2020 Israeli diplomats charged Turkey with furnishing passports and identity cards to Hamas members in Istanbul.[18]
The Turkish government met with Hamas leaders in February 2006, after the organization's victory in the Palestinian elections.[19]
Israel suggesting to Turkey to support Hamas
Upon a visit to Israel from Turkish Prime MinisterMesut Yilmaz and Turkish lawmakerFeyzi İşbaşaran [tr] in 1998, it was revealed that Netanyahu suggested Turkey to support Hamas. Netanyahu said "Hamas also has bank accounts for aid in banks, we help them too, you [Turkey] can help too."[20]
Gaza war
Following the2023 Hamas attack on Israel on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, and the outbreak of theGaza war, President Erdoğan lauded Hamas as "a liberation group, 'mujahideen' waging a battle to protect its lands and people." Erdoğan cancelled a planned visit to Israel.[21]
A day of national mourning was observed by Turkey on 2 August 2024, after theassassination of Ismail Haniyeh, with Turkish flags being flown at half-mast.[22][23]
In December 2025,Ibrahim Kalın, the head ofTurkey's intelligence, met with a Hamas delegation inIstanbul to talk about the Gaza ceasefire agreement. The two parties discussions included the requirements for advancing to the next phase of the Gaza Peace Plan and how to tackle the current challenges.[24]
