Turkish police have detained seven individuals, including a private detective, on suspicion of selling information to Israel’s Mossad intelligence service, according to state-owned Anadolu news agency. The private detective, a former public servant, is accused of gathering information on Middle Eastern companies and individuals in Turkey, using tracking devices, and engaging in surveillance.

The operation was carried out by Turkey’s national intelligence agency MIT and Istanbul counter-terror police, with no official statement from Ankara. Israel has also not commented on the report.

According to security sources, the Turkish detective received training from Mossad in Belgrade and received payments in cryptocurrency that were not recorded in official records. This comes after a Turkish court ordered the arrest of 15 people and the deportation of eight others suspected of having links to Mossad and targeting Palestinians living in Turkey.

Tensions between Turkey and Israel have been high since Israel’s war with Hamas began last October, with both countries’ leaders trading public barbs. Turkey has warned Israel of “serious consequences” if it tries to hunt down Hamas members living outside the Palestinian territories, including in Turkey.

The head of the Shin Bet security agency stated in December that his organization was prepared to target Hamas anywhere, including in Lebanon, Turkey, and Qatar. Unlike most of its Western allies and some Arab nations, Turkey does not classify Hamas as a terrorist organization.

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