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Turkish authorities have detained 33 people suspected of spying on behalf of Israel, the state-run Turkish news agency reported on January 2.
Authorities are still looking for 13 more people believed to have ties to the Israeli intelligence service, Mossad, Anadolu Agency reported.
The suspects were arrested during raids in Istanbul and seven other provinces. They were allegedly planning to carry out activities including "surveillance" and "stalking, assault and kidnapping" of foreign nationals living in Turkey, the Turkish agency reported.
Anadolu did not provide information about the suspects or the foreign nationals who were allegedly targeted. The announcement comes weeks after the head of Israel's Shin Bet security agency said in an audio recording that his organization is prepared to destroy Hamas, the Palestinian group designated a terrorist organization by the US and the EU. - "in every country", including in Lebanon, Turkey and Qatar.
Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has warned Israel of "serious consequences" if it continues with threats to attack Hamas officials on Turkish soil.
Turkey and Israel have normalized relations in 2022, reappointing ambassadors to the respective countries after years of strained relations. But these reports soon deteriorated after the Israel-Hamas war, and Ankara is one of the most vocal critics of Israel's military actions in the Gaza Strip.
Israel initially withdrew its diplomats from Turkey due to security concerns and then announced it was withdrawing diplomats for political reasons, citing "an increase in harsh statements" from officials in Turkey. Turkey has also withdrawn its ambassador from Israel.
Erdogan has expressed a series of criticisms of Israel, describing the actions of this state in Gaza as "genocide". He has called for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be prosecuted for "war crimes" and compared him to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.
Erdogan, whose government has hosted some Hamas officials in the past, has also said the radical Palestinian group is fighting to liberate its lands and its people. REL
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