Secret Hamas plot in Turkey: Documents expose plan to assassinate Israelis 

Hamas has established one of its most important branches abroad in Turkey, based on prisoners released from the Shalit prisoner exchange deal. The movement uses its base in Turkey to plan terrorist attacks and transfer funds to finance terrorist activity inside Israel, in Judea and Samaria and the Gaza Strip, as well as to raise funds and money laundering for Hamas' terrorist activities, including the October 7, 2023 attack.

The close relationship between Turkey and Hamas was also evident during the Iron Sword War, when Turkey refrained from condemning Hamas and harshly criticized, sometimes even with an anti-Semitic tone, Israel's actions.

Throughout the fighting, political coordination continued between Erdogan and senior Turkish government officials and the Hamas leadership, including on the issue of negotiations with Israel, along with humanitarian aid. Turkey also took in some of the Palestinian prisoners who were released from Israeli jails and deported abroad.

Seized Hamas documents seized by IDF forces in the Gaza Strip during the "Iron Sword" war contain evidence of the relationship between Hamas and Turkey and the manner in which Hamas has used Turkey for terrorist activities against Israel. Among other things, one of the documents presented a plan by Hamas to establish a security branch in Turkey to coordinate activities against Israel abroad, including assassinations of military personnel and attacks on Israeli vessels.

According to the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, in light of Hamas' infrastructure activity in Turkey, its extensive involvement in terrorist activity, and Turkey's policy toward Israel, Hamas will seek to strengthen and expand its ties with Turkey.

It seems that the expulsion of terrorists, especially senior officials, from outside Israel in general, and to Turkey in particular, could strengthen Hamas' base of activity in Turkey, help rehabilitate Hamas' military wing, and facilitate the return of released prisoners to terrorist activity. This process will, among other things, strengthen the position of the Hamas leadership abroad under the auspices of Turkey and increase Hamas's terrorist activity outside of Israel.

Due to Turkey's location and its unstable relations with Israel, it will be difficult for the Israeli security forces to act effectively against Hamas' infrastructure and activity in Turkey.