The connection between Turkey and Hamas was revealed by the Israeli authorities on Monday, after the confiscation of goods and money intended for the terrorist organization.
According to a report in the Jerusalem Post, the Israeli Security Service, known as Shin Bet, has managed to locate the Hamas funding channel from Turkey. The operation was carried out by the Counter-Terrorism Service at the Israeli Ministry of Defense, Sin Bet and the Israeli Customs Authorities.
Sin Bet, along with the Ministry of Defense, announced on Monday that they had succeeded in preventing the transfer of $ 100,000 worth of Turkish goods and sums of money intended to finance Hamas. In a statement, Israeli Foreign Minister Benny Ganz stressed that the country will continue to fight terrorism and to locate terrorist infrastructure inside and outside Israel.
According to the Israeli minister, the money was intended for the development of Hamas infrastructure in Gaza, including the production of weapons, as well as for the payment of the organization's executives.
The Jerusalem Post reports that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is accompanied by one of Hamas' leaders in Turkey. Israel has repeatedly protested to Turkey in support of Hamas and the hosting of the organization's leaders on Turkish soil.
Today's development is expected to open another chapter of confrontation between Turkey and Israel. For Israel, Turkey remains one of the countries causing tensions in the region.
Turkey's dangerous role both in the Eastern Mediterranean and beyond was one of the key issues on the agenda of talks between the Cypriot and Israeli governments on Sunday during President Anastasiadis' visit to Jerusalem.
