Tension between Turkey and Haniyeh's sons? Israel claims Erdogan withholds Hamas leader's fortune

Israel said Turkey's government, led by Recep Tayyip Erdogan, refused to transfer the fortune of Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas leader recently eliminated in Iran, to his sons, sparking tensions between Ankara and the family of the Palestinian terrorist figure.

"This week, a conflict erupted between @RTErdogan and the sons of Ismail Haniyeh, who demanded the $3 billion held in Turkish bank accounts under their father's name. Erdoğan refused to release the funds," expressed Israel Katz, Israel's foreign minister, on the social network X.

The Israeli minister also suggested that Haniyeh managed to accumulate a huge amount of money by stealing financial aid sent by various countries to improve the lives of Palestinians.

"How did Haniyeh, born in the Al-Shati refugee camp, amass such a fortune? How many Palestinians in Gaza could have lived better lives if the money had reached them?" wrote Katz.

The Israeli official also took aim at the Turkish president, questioning his link to Hamas. "And most importantly, what is Erdoğan's connection to the money?" added Katz.

He concluded, "'Follow the money'" is a well-known phrase. In this case, the direction is clear."

Turkey rejected the accusation

As expected, the Turkish government rejected Minister Katz's claims, asserting that it is a false accusation.

Turkey's Presidential Communications Directorate and Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Haniyeh had no money in any Turkish bank.

Ankara added that Haniyeh's sons, Abdussalam and Hammam, visited Erdogan, who expressed his condolences to them on the death of their father. He further accused Israel of carrying out a disinformation campaign to manipulate world opinion and divert attention from the "genocide" in Gaza.