Israeli security forces thwarted a major terror plot orchestrated and funded by Hamas’s headquarters in Turkey, the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) announced on Monday.

In a joint operation, the IDF, Shin Bet, and the Yehuda and Shomron District Police arrested seven Palestinian terrorists from Nablus who had planned to carry out attacks against Israeli security forces and other targets in the region. The arrests, which took place between January and February, prevented what officials described as a “serious and imminent threat.”

During the operation, security forces seized an M16 rifle, tens of thousands of dollars in terror funds, and a bomb planted near the Jit Junction, located six miles west of Nablus. The explosive device was neutralized in a controlled detonation by bomb disposal experts.

On January 29, Israeli forces arrested three suspects, confiscating both the assault rifle and approximately $40,000 in cash. Later that same day, an additional suspect was caught with another $20,000 in Hamas funding. The remaining members of the terror cell were arrested throughout February.

According to the Shin Bet, the investigation uncovered evidence of direct coordination between the cell and Hamas operatives abroad, exposing the methods used to transfer funds for terror activities in Judea and Samaria.

Last week, military prosecutors filed statements against the detained suspects and have requested that they remain in custody until the conclusion of legal proceedings.

The revelation of Hamas’s Turkey-based funding and coordination comes amid escalating anti-Israel rhetoric from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who on Sunday led Eid al-Fitr prayers at Istanbul’s Çamlıca Mosque, where he publicly called for Israel’s destruction.

“May Allah, for the sake of his name ‘Al-Qahhar,’ destroy and devastate Zionist Israel,” Erdoğan said, as reported by Türkiye Today. He added that Muslims must remain “united, strong, and resilient as brothers” in their opposition to Israel.

Erdoğan’s alliance with Hamas has deepened since the October 7, 2023, massacre. Turkey has long hosted Hamas officials, allowing them to operate freely on Turkish soil.

In July, Erdoğan threatened military action against Israel, saying: “Just as we entered Karabakh, just as we entered Libya, we might do the same to them. There is nothing we cannot do.”

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