Peloni: It is one of the great perversions of our age that the Muslim Brotherhood Turks would expect, much less be offered, any position within the key strategic position in Gaza. While this was always true, the relevance of the threat of offering them such close access to Israel becomes all the more obtuse and obviously unacceptable when the statements of Erdogan’s intent of retaking Jerusalem lies fresh upon the headlines. This, in combination with their close association with Jolani’s Syrian govt, an association reaffirmed in recent days as the conquest of the Kurds has been put into play, should make any suggestion of Turkey taking a role in Gaza to be completely inexplicable.
Pro-Israel organization says Turkey’s documented support for Hamas disqualifies Ankara from participation in post war Gaza security or reconstruction efforts.
By: TheJ.ca Staff | The J.ca | Jan 9, 2026
Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Photo by kremlin.ru, CC BY 4.0, Wikipedia
NEW YORK — A leading pro-Israel organization has come out strongly against the possible deployment of Turkish soldiers to Gaza as part of a proposed International Stabilization Force, warning that Ankara’s longstanding ties to Hamas make it fundamentally unfit to play any role in Gaza’s future security or reconstruction.
Americans For A Safe Israel said nations that have provided Hamas with haven, political legitimacy, financial assistance, or material support must be excluded from any international framework intended to stabilize Gaza following the current conflict.
The organization’s statement follows remarks by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Bloomberg, in which he argued that Turkey should be included in any such force.
“The success of the International Stabilization Force to be deployed in Gaza depends on the inclusion of actors that have legitimacy on the ground,” Erdogan said. “It should be known that the countries party to the Sharm el Sheikh Declaration, including Turkiye, are the most legitimate actors in this process,” according to Bloomberg.
AFSI rejected that assertion outright.
“Perversely, Turkey has long viewed Hamas as a ‘liberation movement’ and does not designate Hamas as the terrorist organization that it is,” said Moshe Phillips, chairman of Americans For A Safe Israel, in a statement released by the organization. “These facts alone should rule out Turkey from having any role in Gaza.”
Phillips said the credibility of any peacekeeping or stabilization mission depends on the perceived neutrality of its participants.
“Peacekeepers must be trusted by all sides if they are to function effectively,” Phillips said. “Given Turkey’s history of support for Hamas, Israel cannot reasonably be expected to view these soldiers as neutral actors. Nor should the United States do so.”
AFSI outlined several reasons for its opposition to the inclusion of Turkish forces, citing reporting and findings from Israeli and United States security services.
According to the organization, Hamas has used Turkey as a base of operations to coordinate terrorist activity, recruit operatives, and manage extensive financial networks involving real estate and commercial enterprises. AFSI said both Israeli and US authorities have uncovered plots and funding streams tied to Hamas activity on Turkish soil.
The group also pointed to Turkey’s hosting of senior Hamas leaders over more than a decade. Since 2011, Ankara has reportedly allowed top Hamas figures to reside openly in the country following the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange with Israel. High-ranking Hamas officials have held repeated meetings with Turkish President Erdogan and Turkish intelligence officials, according to Israeli government statements and international media reporting.
AFSI further noted that some senior Hamas leaders have received Turkish citizenship. Among them was Ismail Haniyeh, the former Hamas leader who was killed in July 2024, according to widely reported Israeli and international media accounts.
Beyond operational reminders, AFSI highlighted ideological alignment as a core concern. The organization said Hamas and Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party share roots in the Muslim Brotherhood, a movement banned or restricted in several Arab countries because of its ties to Islamist extremism.
President Erdogan has repeatedly criticized Israel’s military response to the October 7 Hamas-led terrorist invasion of Israel and has used international platforms to voice political support for Hamas, according to statements cited by Reuters and other major outlets.
AFSI said those positions are incompatible with any claim of neutrality in Gaza.
The organization warned that allowing Turkey to participate in a stabilization force would undermine Israel’s security, weaken US credibility, and risk legitimizing Hamas indirectly through international mechanisms.
Americans For A Safe Israel was founded in 1970 and describes itself as one of the oldest pro-Israel advocacy organizations in the United States. The group says it is nonpartisan and focuses on education, public policy, and countering anti-Israel and antisemitism driven narratives. More information is available on the organization’s website, www.afsi.org.
As international discussions continue over Gaza’s future governance and security arrangements, AFSI said clear lines must be drawn.
“Rebuilding Gaza cannot begin by rewarding those who enabled Hamas to survive, thrive, and terrorize,” Phillips said.
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