[Opinion] Why Is a Turkish Terror-Linked ‘Charity’ Operating Freely in Gaza?
[Excerpts]
The IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation, a Turkish organization best known for the 2010 Mavi Marmara flotilla, is outlawed in Israel due to its ties to Hamas. So why is it operating freely in Gaza?
Recently released footage depicts IHH vehicles emblazoned with Turkish flags distributing water and clearing rubble in the war-torn enclave. At first glance, it looks like a benign act of relief. But for those who know IHH’s record, it is something else entirely: another example of how groups with extremist histories exploit humanitarian cover to entrench the grip of terror groups and their state sponsors—in this case, Hamas rule and Turkish influence in Gaza.
Founded in Turkey in the 1990s, IHH has a history that stretches far beyond soup kitchens and aid convoys. According to Israeli intelligence and open-source reporting, IHH has for years funneled funds and equipment to Hamas’ military wing, assisted with weapons procurement, and helped construct training facilities in Gaza. It was banned by Israel in 2008. As noted, in 2010, it played an instrumental role in the flotilla that infamously ended in bloodshed after activists on board violently attacked Israeli forces.
IHH is also part of the Union of the Good, a coalition “named as a foreign terrorist organization” by the U.S. Treasury for funneling funds to Hamas. Turkish authorities themselves once raided IHH offices and found weapons and bomb-making manuals. This is not the resume of a neutral relief agency.
