ISTANBUL, Turkey — An Israeli strike on a meeting of Hamas chiefs in Qatar has cast a cloud of growing concern across Turkey that it could be the site of Israel’s next strike on the leaders of the Gaza-based terror group.

Turkish Defense Ministry spokesman Rear Adm. Zeki Akturk warned in Ankara on Thursday that Israel would “further expand its reckless attacks, as it did in Qatar, and drag the entire region, including its own country, into disaster.”

Israel on Tuesday conducted an airstrike against senior Hamas leaders who do not reside in the Gaza Strip and were holding a meeting in the Qatari capital, Doha.

Israel and Turkey were once strong regional partners, but ties between the countries ran into difficulties from the late 2000s and have reached an all-time low since the Hamas terror group invaded Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, taking 251 hostages and sparking the ongoing war in Gaza.

Tensions also have risen as Israel and Turkey have competed for influence in neighboring Syria. Islamist-led rebels, backed by Turkey, toppled the regime of Bashar al-Assad last year, and Jerusalem has repeatedly expressed concerns about their intentions.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been a long-standing supporter of the Palestinian cause and of the Palestinian terror group Hamas, which is sworn to the destruction of Israel.

Hamas officials regularly visit Turkey and some have taken up residence there. Israel has previously accused Turkey of allowing Hamas to plan attacks from its territory, as well as to recruit and fundraise there.

The Turkish president has criticized Israel, and particularly Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with strident rhetoric since the start of the war, accusing Israel of genocide and likening Netanyahu to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

Israel vehemently rejects any accusations of war crimes, and says that it complies with international law.

Hamas officials regularly visit Turkey and some have taken up residence there.

Erdogan is close to Qatar’s leaders and Turkey maintains strong military and commercial ties to the emirate. He is due to travel to Qatar this weekend for an Arab and Muslim leaders’ summit.

The summit was called in response to Israel’s bombing in Doha last week. Israel has said that the Hamas leaders attacked in........

© The Times of Israel