Turkey warns Israel against targeting Hamas officials

“Necessary warnings were made to the interlocutors based on the news of Israeli officials' statements, and it was expressed to Israel that (such an act) would have serious consequences,” a Turkish intelligence official said on Monday, according to Reuters.

The warning came a day after the Israeli broadcaster Kan released a recording from Ronen Bar, who serves as the head of Israel's so-called internal security service Shin Bet, in which he said that the regime would hunt down Hamas in countries like Lebanon, Turkey and Qatar even if it takes years.

Bar said the Israeli administration had set a goal to target Hamas officials who are based outside Gaza.

Key Hamas leaders, including its top political officials, live outside the besieged Gaza as part of the group's policy to garner support from other countries for the fight against the Israeli regime.

Head of Hamas’ politburo Ismail Haniyeh has been shuttling between Qatar and Turkey in recent weeks amid Israel's aggression on Gaza that has left nearly 16,000 people dead.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly condemned Israel for its brutal military campaign against Gaza while warning the regime against political and economic consequences if it continues with the aggression.

The presence of Hamas leaders in Qatar helped the Arab country mediate a seven-day ceasefire in Gaza that ended on Friday.

Israel’s aggression against Gaza began on October 7 after Hamas launched a major military operation into the Israeli-occupied territories near Gaza, killing some 1,400 Israeli settlers and military forces.