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According to unnamed officials, Turkish security forces have arrested seven individuals on suspicion of collaborating with the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad. The arrests were made during a joint operation conducted by the police and Turkey's MIT intelligence agency in Istanbul and Izmir. This comes after 34 people with alleged Mossad links were charged with espionage about a month ago. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned Israel of severe consequences if it targets Hamas members on Turkish soil. Unlike many Western countries and some Arab states, Turkey does not consider Hamas a terrorist organization. The country has a strong pro-Palestinian stance, with numerous people attending rallies in support of Palestinians in Istanbul and other cities. Although there has been no official statement from Ankara regarding these recent arrests, media reports suggest that the MIT discovered Mossad's use of private detectives to surveil and monitor suspected Hamas members in Turkey. Earlier this year, Turkey's Justice Minister announced that the 34 detainees were charged with engaging in political or military espionage on behalf of Israeli intelligence. Reports indicate that Mossad has recruited Palestinians and Syrian nationals residing in Turkey for its operations. The war of words between President Erdogan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has escalated since Israel's conflict with Hamas began, with Erdogan describing Netanyahu's actions in Gaza as genocide and making comparisons to Hitler. Israeli intelligence officials have pledged to target Hamas operatives outside of Palestinian territories, including in Lebanon, Qatar, and Turkey. Israel initiated its campaign against the Islamist group after its fighters crossed into Israel and carried out a series of deadly attacks, resulting in the deaths of around 1,300 people. Approximately 250 individuals were taken as hostages, with 105 released during a subsequent ceasefire in November.