Turkey Detains 33 People on Charge of Spying for Israel

Anadolu Agency, Turkey’s government-run media entity, announced on Tuesday that authorities in the country had detained 33 individuals suspected of spying for Israel.

The arrests occurred during nationwide raids in Istanbul and seven other provinces. The suspects are accused of aiding Mossad, Israel’s foreign intelligence agency, with “reconnaissance” and the planning of activities related to the “pursuing, assaulting, and kidnapping” of foreign nationals living in Turkey.

Turkish authorities assert that Israel contacted the suspects through social media, instructing them to spy on Palestinians and Israelis critical of the Israeli government in Turkey, Anadolu reports. It is also noted that Turkish police believe there to be 13 additional suspects with alleged ties to Mossad still at large.

The arrests come at a time of heightened tensions between Israel and Turkey, as just last week an audio recording leaked in which the head of Israel’s Shin Bet internal intelligence service was heard declaring his organization’s plan to eliminate Hamas leadership wherever they are, including those residing in Lebanon, Turkey, and Qatar. In a public statement released after the leak was published, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned of “serious consequences” if Israel were to target Hamas leadership on Turkish soil.

Diplomatic relations between Turkey and Israel have significantly worsened since the start of the Israel-Hamas War in Gaza. Ankara has positioned itself as a strong advocate for the Palestinian cause, with Erdoğan becoming one of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s most vocal critics. Last week, Erdoğan compared Netanyahu’s actions in Gaza to those of Adolf Hitler and alleged that he should be prosecuted for “war crimes” and “genocide.”