Turkey has positioned itself in recent years as a hostile state to Israel—an extremist, dangerous terror supporter that has become home to senior Hamas leaders. Yet incredibly, Turkish NGOs and government bodies continue to operate throughout the Gaza Strip at all times. The Turks, it appears, are seeking to establish a foothold in the Strip, expressed primarily through their aid operations and distribution of food and supplies to residents.
The IHH organization burst into Israeli consciousness when it led the Mavi Marmara flotilla in 2010. During the current war, the IHH attempted to launch several flotillas to Gaza but was stopped by the IDF. Despite being considered close to President Erdoğan and his government, and despite being designated a terror organization by Israel, the IHH is now operating in Gaza without any interference—and with increasing intensity.
Last April, footage emerged showing IHH tractors clearing rubble in northern Gaza, flying large Turkish flags. The message is clear: the Turks are on the ground. It’s not just rubble removal. The IHH controls all aid mechanisms across every area of life in the Strip—distributing food, building mosques and schools. Last April, the organization organized a wedding for fifty Gazan couples.
رغم الحرب.. تكريم الطلبة الأوائل في الثانوية العامة بقطاع غزة، في حفل نظمته مديرية التربية والتعليم بدعم من هيئة الإغاثة الإنسانية التركية (IHH)#تفاعل ليصل إليك كل جديد pic.twitter.com/LpGGqOZ5jf
— TRT عربي (@TRTArabi) July 27, 2026
Erdoğan has proxies in Sudan, Somalia, and Libya. In recent years, Turkey even intervened militarily in Libya and sided with Azerbaijan in its war against Armenia. So now, as he tries to establish a grip in the Gaza Strip—close to us—it’s important to remember what Erdoğan himself said in 2004: “We need to be very strong so that Israel won’t do ridiculous things to Palestine. Just as we entered Karabakh [a disputed region between Armenia and Azerbaijan] and Libya, we can do something similar to them.”
Turkey has additional bodies operating in the Strip. According to a military source, there are currently no Turks in Gaza, and those actually carrying out operations on their behalf are hired local Gazans. Still, when you connect all the dots, a disturbing picture emerges: Erdoğan isn’t satisfied with declarations about Gaza—he’s operating on the ground to establish a foothold there.