After three weeks of her arrest, Sabah Haniyeh, the sister of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, has been officially charged by Israel.
Haniyeh, a 57-year-old resident of the town of Tel Sheva, has been in custody since April 1st when the police arrested her during an early morning raid. Two of her children were also taken into custody but were released later that day.
She faced charges of incitement and affiliation with a terrorist group, as reported by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz and Al Jazeera, citing the Israeli Justice Ministry. Israel, along with its allies, including the United States, views the Palestinian militia as a terrorist organization.
Haniyeh allegedly sent messages to her brother and other contacts, expressing words of praise and encouragement following Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7.
After Israelis killed hundreds of Palestinians in 2023, an attack took place, prompting Israel to retaliate with more violence.
Prosecutors have asked to hold Haniyeh in custody until she can stand trial for the crimes she is accused of.
Just hours after Ismail Haniyeh held extensive discussions with Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on Saturday, news broke of the charges against him. Turkish President Erdogan, during their meeting, encouraged Palestinian unity amidst the ongoing conflict with Israel. It remains unclear whether the timing of the charges was intentionally coordinated with this meeting.
President Erdoğan emphasized the need for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, stressing the urgency to end the brutality during the meeting. According to Erdogan’s office, Türkiye is actively engaging in diplomatic efforts to raise awareness and draw the attention of the international community towards the atrocities being inflicted upon the Palestinians.
President Erdogan emphasized that the primary objective is to establish the independent State of Palestine, which is crucial for achieving regional peace. He firmly stated that Israel will eventually face consequences for the injustices it inflicts upon the Palestinians. Furthermore, President Erdogan affirmed that Turkey will consistently raise its voice against the atrocities in Gaza.
Turkey and Israel, both strong allies of the United States, are members of NATO.