House members call for classified briefing on Turkey's ties to Hamas

More than three dozen Democratic and Republican lawmakers are calling on the Biden administration to offer a classified briefing on Turkey’s support for Hamas, raising concerns that the U.S.-designated terrorist group may relocate its headquarters to the NATO-allied country.

Lawmakers sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines on Thursday requesting a classified briefing take place to discuss reports that Hamas officials expelled from Qatar are being welcomed in Turkey.

Turkish President and People's Alliance's presidential candidate Recep Tayyip Erdogan makes a speech at the presidential palace, in Ankara, Turkey, Sunday, May 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Ali Unal)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has long provided public backing for Hamas’s political leadership and often hosted meetings with the groups leaders in Ankara.

And while Erodgan offered muted concern over Hamas’s Oct. 7 terrorist attack against Israel, the long-time Turkish leader has praised the militants as a “liberation group,” and condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “Hitler” for the large-scale destruction and death suffered by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

“Throughout the tenure of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkey’s relationship with Hamas

has long been an issue of concern,” the lawmakers wrote.

“Reports of Hamas’s potential relocation of its headquarters to Turkey, a NATO ally, are deeply concerning and dramatically escalate existing concerns about Turkey’s relationship with the terrorist group. With these concerns in mind, we request an immediate briefing in a classified setting to discuss.”

The letter was led by Reps. Dan Goldman (D-NY), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), and signed by 33 other House members from both sides of the aisle.

Successive presidential administrations have grappled with complicated ties with Turkey, a strategic defense ally that straddles Europe, the Caucuses and the Middle East and controls access between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. U.S. officials also recognize Turkey as a major contributor to humanitarian assistance to millions of Syrian refugees.

Though Ankara is a NATO outlier for maintaining relations with Moscow, Erdoğan successfully oversaw the August prisoner swap that freed unjustly detained Americans and Russian political prisoners.

But many lawmakers are upset about Erdoğan’s increasing authoritarianism, suppression of civil freedoms and violation of human rights; attacks against U.S.-allied Kurds in northeast Syria; and antagonism toward Israel and provocations against fellow-NATO ally Greece.

Turkey is so-far denying that it is providing safe-haven to Hamas officials – an unnamed Turkish diplomatic source dismissed reports that members of Hamas were planning on relocating to Turkey, Reuters reported on Monday, saying that Hamas figures only visit the country from time to time.

But two unnamed Israeli sources said some remaining Hamas leaders in Gaza may move to Turkey, according to Jewish Insider, a U.S.-based newsletter. The outlet reported that at least two senior Hamas officials have left Qatar for Turkey, citing an Israeli diplomatic source and a senator briefed by Israeli officials.

Hamas political officials received instructions to leave Doha from Qatari officials in recent weeks, at the request of the Biden administration. Hamas officials had headquartered in the Qatari capital at the request of the Israeli and U.S. governments when communication was necessary – with Qatari officials serving as intermediaries.

But the U.S. called to revoke the diplomatic arrangement earlier this month, following failure to achieve a deal for Hamas to release 101 hostages the group kidnapped from southern Israel on Oct. 7, which could lead to a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

In their letter, lawmakers call for Blinken and Haines to address the accuracy of reports that Hamas is looking to set up its headquarters in Turkey. They also ask for any details on the extent of ties between Ankara and Hamas and whether any material or financial support is provided; and whether the U.S. would seek extradition of Hamas officials from Turkey based on U.S. criminal charges brought against the terrorist group by American families of victims of the Oct. 7 attacks.

The lawmakers also raise questions over whether Hamas has ever planned terrorist attacks from Turkish soil, including occupied areas of Syria and the Turkish-aligned northern territory of the island of Cyprus.

The lawmakers’ focus on Cyprus is notable – the island served as a strategic resource for the U.S. in earlier helping evacuate American citizens from Israel following the Oct. 7 attacks, and as a staging ground for delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

But Cypriot and Israeli officials have also worked together to thwart terrorism threats on the island.

In December 2023, Cypriot authorities with the help of Israel reportedly arrested two Iranian nationals suspected of allegedly plotting to target Israelis in an attack.

Lebanese Hezbollah, the U.S.-designated terrorist group also backed by Iran, also threatened to attack Cyprus in June.

The letter from lawmakers has the endorsement of the American Hellenic Institute, a non-profit think tank and advocacy organization based in Washington D.C.

“This letter is an important first step to addressing a critical U.S. security concern and will ensure policymakers are informed about the true extent of Turkey’s role in supporting Hamas," Alexander Christofor, legislative director for AHI, said in a statement.