Pro-Hamas ‘suicide bomber’ storms US-owned factory in Turkey and poses with ‘explosive vest’ while holding hostages
A pro-Hamas ‘suicide bomber’ has taken hostages after storming a factory of US cosmetics giant Procter & Gamble near Istanbul in protest against the war in Gaza.
The man is pictured with a suicide vest on his chest while holding a gun, and is believed to be holding seven factory workers captive.
The alleged attacker hides his face behind a keffiyeh – a black and white scarf that has become an emblem of Palestinian solidarity – and stands in front of a spray-painted flag of Palestine.
The Turkish flag is also painted next to the Palestinian flag, next to the words ‘for Gaza’ written in red.
The consumer goods sector was evacuated earlier today, while special forces and medical personnel locked down the sprawling facility, Turkish media reported.
The man stood next to a drawing of the Palestinian flag and the words “for Gaza” painted in red on the wall
It was not immediately clear how many people were being held at the factory, which is on the eastern outskirts of Turkey’s largest city, a spokesman for the union representing factory workers told AFP.
The spokesman said the attacker detained seven people, adding that the rest of the factory workers had been released.
A P&G spokesperson said the facility employs 500 people across multiple shifts, meaning not all of them would have been working at the time of the attack.
“Earlier today we evacuated our factory in Gebze and are working with local authorities to resolve an urgent security situation,” the company said in a statement to AFP, adding that it had no information on the motives of the attacker.
“The safety of P&G people and our partners is our top priority,” the Cincinnati, Ohio-based company added.
“It’s true,” the police spokesman said when asked to confirm media reports that the attack was Gaza-related.
Footage from the scene showed police setting up a cordon around the sprawling factory.
“It is true,” a police spokesman said when asked to confirm media reports that the attack was Gaza-related.
Footage from the scene showed police setting up a cordon around the sprawling factory.
Special operations forces and medical personnel were sent to the scene, Turkish media reported.
A P&G spokesperson said the facility employs 500 people across multiple shifts, meaning not all of them would have been at work at the time of the attack (photo: stock photo of P&G headquarters)
The war in Gaza was sparked by Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of about 1,140 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP count based on official figures.
Militants also seized about 250 hostages. Israel says 132 people remain in Gaza, including at least 29 people believed to have been killed.
Following the deadliest attack in Israel’s history, the Israeli army launched a devastating offensive that has killed at least 27,019 people in Gaza, most of them women and children, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-held territory.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has emerged as one of the fiercest critics of Israel in the Muslim world due to the enormous toll of his campaign against Hamas militants.
He has labeled Israel a “terrorist state” and compared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler.
Erdogan has also accused the United States of supporting the genocide in Gaza.
Erdogan’s comments reflect widespread anger in the predominantly Muslim but officially secular country of the United States over its traditional support for Israel.
Hundreds of protesters stormed a southeastern Turkish air base used by US and British forces on the eve of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Ankara in November.
Turkish online campaigns are also trying to organize boycotts of American products such as Coca-Cola and the coffee chain Starbucks.