Turkish intel chief warmly welcomes Hamas terrorists in Istanbul

Turkey continues to host Hamas leaders, rejects designating them a terror group.

By World Israel News Staff

The head of Turkey’s MIT intelligence agency, Ibrahim Kalin, met with senior Hamas officials in Istanbul on Wednesday, underscoring the longstanding and warm relationship between the Turkish government and the terror organization.

Turkish security sources told Reuters that Kalin met with senior Hamas politburo head Khalil al-Khayya to discuss “the next stage” of the current ceasefire agreement.

Reuters also reported that the parties focused on troubleshooting “existing problems” in the truce.

According to a media statement released by Hamas, the two spoke about “the continuation of attacks and shootings in areas controlled by the occupation forces, the ongoing closure of the crossings, and the need to rebuild Gaza’s infrastructure — sewage, roads and electricity.”

Since the Hamas-led massacres on Oct. 7 and the subsequent war in Gaza, Turkey’s government has been openly hostile toward Israel.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has repeatedly launched personal attacks on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling him a “psychopath” and a “blood-sucking vampire” who feeds on the blood of Gazan children.

Less than two weeks after the Oct. 7 invasion, Erdoğan publicly rejected the designation of Hamas as a terror organization.

“Hamas is not a terrorist organization; it is a liberation group, ‘mujahideen‘ waging a battle to protect its lands and people,” he told members of his AK Party, using an Islamic term of praise for those who engage in holy war.

In May 2024, Erdoğan’s administration escalated its punitive measures against Israel by cutting off all trade and banning Israeli aircraft and ships from its ports.

Turkey has a long history of welcoming Hamas leaders and operatives, and unlike the U.S., EU and Israel, does not designate Hamas as a terror group.

Erdoğan has also expressed interest in establishing a Turkish presence on the ground in Gaza and has spoken openly about stationing Turkish troops in the Strip — a proposal Israel strongly opposes.

Additionally, a Turkish so-called “aid organization” — which Israel and several European countries classify as a terror group — is currently operating freely throughout Gaza.