Newsletters
Türkiye's Center for Countering Disinformation denied late Thursday any connection to an alleged Hamas assassination plot against Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, calling Israeli media reports linking Türkiye to the plan a "deliberate disinformation campaign."
The Republic of Türkiye Directorate of Communications Center for Countering Disinformation stated that the allegations originated from an incident that occurred approximately eight months ago, not from recent developments as suggested by Israeli media.
Israeli security forces announced Wednesday they had arrested Hamas cell members from the Hebron area in recent weeks who allegedly planned to assassinate Ben-Gvir using explosive-laden drones.
The Shin Bet (Israel's security agency) and the Israeli army conducted the joint operation.
According to Israeli authorities, the cell received approximately $2,000 in funding from Hamas officials allegedly based in Türkiye to purchase two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), explosives and a laptop.
The Times of Israel reported the cell operated "under the command of the terrorist group's headquarters in Türkiye."
"The reference to Türkiye in certain Israeli media reports about an alleged assassination plot against an Israeli minister is the result of a deliberate disinformation campaign targeting our country," Türkiye's Center for Countering Disinformation stated late Thursday.
"It is known that the issue, serviced to the Israeli press as a new development, is in fact related to an incident that occurred about eight months ago. The individuals apprehended clearly stated that they had no connection to Türkiye, a fact also confirmed by Red Cross officials," the statement added.
Turkish officials emphasized the primary goal of spreading such news was to "intentionally create a false impression of Türkiye among the international community, thereby undermining its policy regarding Palestine."
"The real aim of these news reports is to create a deliberately misleading perception against Türkiye in the international public opinion, and in doing so, to harm Türkiye’s policy on Palestine," the statement noted.
"It is hereby underlined that it is of utmost importance that the public and the relevant authorities do not give credence to this disinformation and black propaganda campaign targeting Türkiye," the Center for Countering Disinformation concluded.
Israeli investigators said the three-member cell planned to target Ben-Gvir during a visit to Hebron's Cave of the Patriarchs using explosive drones.
The group reportedly monitored the minister's social media accounts, anticipating he would visit the holy site during Jewish holidays.
The Shin Bet claims that the Hamas cell conducted a partially successful test run but abandoned their original plan when the explosives failed to detonate properly. One cell member was reportedly arrested by the Palestinian Authority before the planned attack date, further disrupting their alleged operations.
Each member had specific roles: one handled fundraising, another purchased the UAVs, and the third prepared explosives, according to the Israeli investigation.
1 min read
1 min read
