Turkey Denies Hosting Hamas: Concerns Over Israeli Backlash
Turkey's firm denial of hosting Hamas reflects its desire to avoid crises with Israel, highlighting its sensitivity to regional relations by emphasizing limited visits by Hamas members
November 18, 2024, 8:38 pm

Turkey Denies Hosting Hamas: Concerns Over Israeli Backlash

حماس وتركيا \ ليفانت نيوز

Turkey has categorically denied reports suggesting that Hamas has relocated its office from Qatar to Turkish territory, calling these claims entirely baseless.

A Turkish diplomatic source stated on Monday, “All reports about Hamas relocating its office to Turkey do not reflect reality.”

The source added that the presence of Hamas members in Turkey is limited to occasional short visits, clarifying that these visits do not signify the existence of an official office for the organization.

This statement comes amid rising speculation about Hamas potentially moving to Turkey after facing restrictions in other locations, raising questions about Turkey’s stance and its willingness to endure international pressure, particularly from Israel.

Despite Ankara’s denial, analysts believe the Turkish position underscores a careful effort to avoid additional tension in its relations with Israel, especially given the current regional instability.

Turkey, which seeks to balance its traditional support for the Palestinian cause with its economic and security ties to Israel, is aware of the sensitivity of this issue and its potential impact on strategic interests.

The Turkish statement follows Qatar’s announcement last week, which dismissed reports of Hamas leaders leaving its territory as inaccurate. Qatar also noted it had frozen mediation efforts between Hamas and Israel due to a lack of seriousness from both sides.

Levante – Agencies

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
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Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
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For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”