Turkish support for Hamas

<h2 id="israel-suggesting-to-turkey-to-support-hamas">Israel suggesting to Turkey to support Hamas</h2>
Upon a visit to Israel from Turkish Prime Minister <a href="/facts/Mesut_Yilmaz/5djyIede">Mesut Yilmaz</a> and Turkish lawmaker Feyzi 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."<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:20" href="#fn:20">20</a>

<h2 id="gaza-war">Gaza war</h2>
Following the <a href="/facts/2023_Hamas_attack_on_Israel/vRHlfVYB">2023 Hamas attack on Israel</a> on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, and the outbreak of the <a href="/facts/Gaza_war/dmUoIpBw">Gaza war</a>, 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.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:21" href="#fn:21">21</a>
A day of national mourning was observed by Turkey on 2 August 2024, after the <a href="/facts/Assassination_of_Ismail_Haniyeh/WLJ617fD">assassination of Ismail Haniyeh</a>, with Turkish flags being flown at half-mast.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:22" href="#fn:22">22</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:23" href="#fn:23">23</a>

<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul>
<li>Turkey portal</li><li>Palestine portal</li><li>Politics portal</li></ul>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Palestine%25E2%2580%2593Turkey_relations/XD8lm8cm">Palestine–Turkey relations</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Israel%25E2%2580%2593Turkey_relations/GmJTlknC">Israel–Turkey relations</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Israeli_support_for_Hamas/UGpWtrdD">Israeli support for Hamas</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Qatari_support_for_Hamas/j6v8ktjY">Qatari support for Hamas</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1">"Eying Gaza mediator role, Turkey cools Hamas ties, Erdogan restrains rhetoric - Al-Monitor: Independent, trusted coverage of the Middle East". www.al-monitor.com. 22 October 2023. Retrieved 4 May 2024. <a href="https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2023/10/eying-gaza-mediator-role-turkey-cools-hamas-ties-erdogan-restrains-rhetoric" target="_blank">https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2023/10/eying-gaza-mediator-role-turkey-cools-hamas-ties-erdogan-restrains-rhetoric</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:2">"Can Turkey help resolve the Israel-Hamas war?". Atlantic Council. 9 January 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2024. <a href="https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/turkeysource/can-turkey-help-resolve-the-israel-hamas-war/" target="_blank">https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/turkeysource/can-turkey-help-resolve-the-israel-hamas-war/</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:3">"Revealing Israel's Strategic Vision in Supporting Hamas: Insights from Turkish Ex-Prime Minister Mesut Yılmaz's 1998 Visit". politurco.com. 12 October 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2024. <a href="https://politurco.com/revealing-israels-strategic-vision-in-supporting-hamas-insights-from-turkish-ex-prime-minister-mesut-yilmazs-1998-visit.html" target="_blank">https://politurco.com/revealing-israels-strategic-vision-in-supporting-hamas-insights-from-turkish-ex-prime-minister-mesut-yilmazs-1998-visit.html</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:4">Feyzi Isbasaran [@feyzi_fyzisbsrn] (October 10, 2023). "Mesut Yılmaz/Benjamin Netanyahu görüşmesi" (Tweet) – via Twitter. <a href="https://x.com/feyzi_fyzisbsrn/status/1711773786494668924" target="_blank">https://x.com/feyzi_fyzisbsrn/status/1711773786494668924</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:5">Michaelson, Ruth (21 April 2024). "Israel's foreign minister says Erdoğan 'should be ashamed' of meeting with Hamas chief". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 May 2024. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/21/israel-foreign-minister-israel-katz-says-recep-tayyip-erdogan-should-be-ashamed-of-meeting-with-hamas-chief-ismail-haniyeh" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/21/israel-foreign-minister-israel-katz-says-recep-tayyip-erdogan-should-be-ashamed-of-meeting-with-hamas-chief-ismail-haniyeh</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:6">"What is Hamas? What to know about its origins, leaders and funding". PBS NewsHour. 2023-10-10. Archived from the original on 2023-10-13. Retrieved 2023-10-13. <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/what-is-hamas-what-to-know-about-its-origins-leaders-and-funding" target="_blank">https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/what-is-hamas-what-to-know-about-its-origins-leaders-and-funding</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:7">"Turkey, the United States, and the Israel-Hamas War". Council on Foreign Relations. Archived from the original on 2023-10-25. Retrieved 2023-10-26. <a href="https://www.cfr.org/article/turkey-united-states-and-israel-hamas-war" target="_blank">https://www.cfr.org/article/turkey-united-states-and-israel-hamas-war</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:8">Lazaroff, T. (May 13, 2011). "Erdogan: 'Hamas is not a terrorist organization'". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved June 7, 2013. <a href="http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Erdogan-Hamas-is-not-a-terrorist-organization" target="_blank">http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Erdogan-Hamas-is-not-a-terrorist-organization</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:9">"Turkish FM Davutoğlu meets Hamas chief amid Israel row". Hurriyet Daily News. Retrieved August 2, 2011. <a href="http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=davutoglu-meets-hamas-chief-in-damascus-2010-07-20" target="_blank">http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=davutoglu-meets-hamas-chief-in-damascus-2010-07-20</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:10">"Rebuffing former top general, Netanyahu says Kurdish PKK a terror group". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2025-01-26. <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/rebuffing-former-top-general-netanyahu-says-kurdish-pkk-a-terror-group/" target="_blank">https://www.timesofisrael.com/rebuffing-former-top-general-netanyahu-says-kurdish-pkk-a-terror-group/</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:11">"Hamas faces risk, opportunity from warming Israel-Turkey ties". France 24. 2022-03-16. Archived from the original on 2023-10-13. Retrieved 2023-10-13. <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220316-hamas-faces-risk-opportunity-from-warming-israel-turkey-ties" target="_blank">https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220316-hamas-faces-risk-opportunity-from-warming-israel-turkey-ties</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:12">"US Criticizes Turkey for Hosting Hamas Leaders". VOA. 2020-08-26. Archived from the original on 2023-10-13. Retrieved 2023-10-13. <a href="https://www.voanews.com/a/usa_us-criticizes-turkey-hosting-hamas-leaders/6194990.html" target="_blank">https://www.voanews.com/a/usa_us-criticizes-turkey-hosting-hamas-leaders/6194990.html</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:13">"Qatar, Iran, Turkey and beyond: The galaxy of Hamas supporters". France 24. 2023-10-14. Archived from the original on 2023-10-14. Retrieved 2023-10-15. <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20231014-qatar-iran-turkey-and-beyond-the-galaxy-of-hamas-supporters" target="_blank">https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20231014-qatar-iran-turkey-and-beyond-the-galaxy-of-hamas-supporters</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:14">Katz, Yaakov (8 September 2011). "Shin Bet: Hamas operating in Turkey, China". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2016. <a href="http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=237108" target="_blank">http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=237108</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:15">"Turkey's Hamas 'bureau' - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East". Al-Monitor. 2014-12-01. Archived from the original on 24 December 2015. Retrieved 2016-04-28. <a href="https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/en/originals/2014/12/saleh-al-arouri-khaled-meshaal-hamas-leadership-turkey-gaza.html" target="_blank">https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/en/originals/2014/12/saleh-al-arouri-khaled-meshaal-hamas-leadership-turkey-gaza.html</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:16">"Is Erdogan closing Hamas' Istanbul office? - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East". Al-Monitor. 2015-12-21. Archived from the original on 4 June 2016. Retrieved 2016-04-28. <a href="https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/12/hamas-khaled-meshaal-salah-ak-arouri-istanbul-reconciliation.html#ixzz43vIaw0z7" target="_blank">https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/12/hamas-khaled-meshaal-salah-ak-arouri-istanbul-reconciliation.html#ixzz43vIaw0z7</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:17">Franzman, Seth T. (9 May 2021). "Turkey calls Israel 'terrorist' state, seeks to 'save Jerusalem' - analysis". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 2 November 2023. Retrieved 17 August 2022. <a href="https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/turkey-calls-israel-terrorist-state-seeks-to-save-jerusalem-analysis-667623" target="_blank">https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/turkey-calls-israel-terrorist-state-seeks-to-save-jerusalem-analysis-667623</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:18">Gumrukcu, Tuvan (26 August 2020). "Turkey gave Hamas members passports, Israel says". Reuters. Archived from the original on 24 October 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2022. <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-israel-hamas-idUSKBN25M1XW" target="_blank">https://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-israel-hamas-idUSKBN25M1XW</a> <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:19">"Turkish FM Davutoğlu meets Hamas chief amid Israel row". Hurriyet Daily News. Archived from the original on 2023-10-07. Retrieved August 2, 2011. <a href="http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=davutoglu-meets-hamas-chief-in-damascus-2010-07-20" target="_blank">http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=davutoglu-meets-hamas-chief-in-damascus-2010-07-20</a> <a href="#fnref:19" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:20">"Bu iddia çok tartışılır: Netanyahu'dan Hamas'a destek". Odatv (in Turkish). 2023-10-12. Retrieved 2025-05-30. <a href="https://www.odatv.com/guncel/bu-iddia-cok-tartisilir-netanyahudan-hamasa-destek-120005580" target="_blank">https://www.odatv.com/guncel/bu-iddia-cok-tartisilir-netanyahudan-hamasa-destek-120005580</a> <a href="#fnref:20" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:21">Gumrukcu, Tuvan; Hayatsever, Huseyin (2023-10-25). "Turkey's Erdogan says Hamas is not terrorist organisation, cancels trip to Israel". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2023-11-10. Retrieved 2023-10-26. <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/turkeys-erdogan-says-hamas-is-not-terrorist-organisation-2023-10-25/" target="_blank">https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/turkeys-erdogan-says-hamas-is-not-terrorist-organisation-2023-10-25/</a> <a href="#fnref:21" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:22">"Turkey marks a day of national mourning for slain Hamas leader". 2 August 2024. <a href="https://www.africanews.com/2024/08/02/turkey-marks-a-day-of-national-mourning-for-slain-hamas-leader/" target="_blank">https://www.africanews.com/2024/08/02/turkey-marks-a-day-of-national-mourning-for-slain-hamas-leader/</a> <a href="#fnref:22" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:23">https://web.archive.org/web/20241209005805/https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/turkeys-erdogan-declares-aug-2-day-national-mourning-over-killing-hamas-chief-2024-08-01/ <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20241209005805/https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/turkeys-erdogan-declares-aug-2-day-national-mourning-over-killing-hamas-chief-2024-08-01/" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20241209005805/https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/turkeys-erdogan-declares-aug-2-day-national-mourning-over-killing-hamas-chief-2024-08-01/</a> <a href="#fnref:23" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
</ol>

Turkish support for Hamas open-in-new

Turkish support for Hamas