A report in the London Times and documents found in the home of a Hamas official in Gaza indicate that before the October 7 attack, the terrorist organization planned to establish a secret base in Turkey with terrorist squads that would carry out terrorist attacks against Israeli targets in the countries of the region.
The Times wrote that according to the document, Hamas planned to establish terrorist cells in Turkey and other countries that are members of the NATO alliance. In the Gaza home of Hamza Abu Shanab – identified in the newspaper as the head of Yahya Sinwar’s bureau – a document titled “Establishing a base in Turkey” was discovered.
According to the Hamas document, the terrorist organization should “invest a great deal of effort in establishing military strongholds, which will be a base for special operations. That is why we propose to establish a security arm abroad, which in the future will be able to carry out military and intelligence activities.”
In a document discovered in Abu Shanab’s house, a three-year plan appeared, which combines “the establishment of military cells and hiding places in many countries.” According to the document, the possible targets of the assassinations are “officers and commanders in the Mossad” as well as “influential Israelis” and acquaintances. In addition, the document details plans to “sabotage Israeli vessels” and carry out kidnappings.
During the war in Gaza, relations between Turkey and Israel deteriorated dramatically, in light of Ankara’s siding with Hamas and Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s harsh condemnations of Benjamin Netanyahu. The Times writes that despite supporting Hamas, Erdogan opposes a scenario in which Turkey will become a stronghold of the terrorist organization.
By the way, the Turkish president stated that more than 1,000 Hamas operatives are being treated in hospitals throughout his country, emphasizing his position that the terrorist organization Hamas is a “resistance movement”. In a speech at a press conference, after talks in Ankara with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Erdogan said he was “saddened by the Greek view that sees Hamas as a terrorist organization.” Mitsotakis replied: “We’ll agree to disagree.”
