ALBAWABA – According to information from authorities and Turkish media outlets on Monday, Istanbul police is conducting a "large-scale investigation" in response to a shooting incident that resulted in the killing of one Palestinian businessman and the injury of two others while they were seated in a vehicle.
Former Mossad official: Israel at historic crossroads, war with Hezbollah would cripple nationThe Istanbul Governor's Office issued a short statement stating that the killing was carried out by an attacker or attackers who were wearing masks and had discarded a firearm that was equipped with a silencer at the site of the crime.
The shooting that took place late on Sunday night resulted in the death of the man who was sitting in the driver's seat, while his companion sustained critical injuries, according to the Demirören News Agency. Another individual, who the governor's office characterized as the deceased individual's bodyguard, sustained an injury to his foot.
According to the statement, the individuals that were injured are presently getting medical care, and investigations are currently being conducted in order to locate and capture the perpetrator of the attack.
Regarding the motivation and culprits behind the assault, the police are investigating three options, as reported by Bianet citing CNN Turk: involvement by Hamas, the Israeli intelligence organization Mossad, or another unidentified actor.
However, at this point in time, there is no proof that can be considered conclusive that either Hamas or Mossad were involved in the killing.
Turkish police detained numbers of alleged Mossad spies last year, with investigations revealing the monitoring and targeting of Palestinians in Istanbul, including tracking their whereabouts and installing GPS navigational systems on their vehicles. The inquiry will assess whether such activities are linked to the current incident.
