PHILADELPHIA – December 6, 2024 – A bipartisan group of 39 Congress members signed a letter raising concerns over Turkey’s ties to Hamas following reports that the terrorist group relocated its political headquarters there. The letter urged Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines to extradite Hamas leaders living in Turkey and facing criminal indictments in American courts.
Led by U.S. Representatives Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Dan Goldman (D-NY), and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), the signatories on November 21 requested an intelligence briefing on “the nature and extent of the Turkish government’s relationship with Hamas,” and its impact on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance.
The move to place Turkey on notice for sheltering Hamas comes after the Middle East Forum (MEF) pressed Congress to deny the jihadist group a safe haven. Qatar recently suspended its mediation role between Israel and Hamas, whose political bureau was based in Doha since 2012, and a Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson claimed that Hamas leaders henceforth would “move between different capitals.”
MEF briefed congressional offices on Turkey’s historical sponsorship of Hamas, which operates out of offices in Istanbul and Ankara, recruiting new members and coordinating terrorist attacks on Israel. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan considers Hamas to be a “liberation group,” not a terrorist organization.
“For too long, Erdoğan’s Turkey has offered sanctuary to Hamas terrorists,” notes Benjamin Baird, the director of MEF Action. “Congress has now sent a clear message that any country that gives quarter to terrorists will pay a steep price.”
MEF will continue to monitor the situation as Hamas looks to relocate its political headquarters, asking Congress to pressure allies and adversaries alike to close their borders to the militant group and its leaders.
The Middle East Forum, a non-profit organization, promotes American interests in the Middle East and defends Western civilization against Islamism. For more information, visit www.meforum.org.
For Immediate Release:
For more information, contact:
Gregg Roman
Email: roman@meforum.org
Phone: +1 (215) 546 5406
