Exclusive: Israel allows Haniyeh family members to leave Gaza after Turkish request

Israel allowed at least 66 Palestinians and Turkish citizens to leave the Gaza Strip earlier this month following a request from Turkey, Middle East Eye has learned. The group included 16 members of the late Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh’s family.

Fourteen Turkish citizens and 40 close relatives of Turkish citizens, including spouses, sons, fathers and mothers, were released as part of a bilateral arrangement between Israel and Turkey, according to two separate sources.

The decision followed a Gaza ceasefire agreement reached in the first week of October, in which Turkey played a mediating role by helping to bring Hamas to the negotiating table.

Five of the 16 Haniyeh family members were relatives of Turkish citizens.

Turkey maintained longstanding contacts with Haniyeh, who headed Hamas’ political bureau until Israel assassinated him in July 2024 in Tehran.

Exclusive: Israel allows Haniyeh family members to leave Gaza after Turkish request