Large Banners In Cities Across Turkey Support Hamas: 'A Thousand Greetings... To The Mujahideen!'

Since Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel, large multi-story banners explicitly supporting Hamas have been displayed prominently in public places in cities across Turkey. Most of the banners feature a photo of Abu Ubayda, spokesman of the Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, and praise him by name. Many send their "greetings to Hamas" and encourage the group to "continue the resistance." Others send their greetings "to the mujahideen" or to Al-Qassam Brigades leader Muhammad Deif, to whom one banner refers as "Commander of the Ummah." One refers to Abu Ubayda, as "the pride of the Muslims," another to Hamas as "the honor of the Muslims," and a third to the Al-Qassam Brigades as "our honor." One calls for "a world without Israel," while many use Abu Ubayda's phrase "by land, by sea, by air."

Banners have been reported. This report will review some of the banners reported since October 7 in the Turkish cities of Alanya, Ankara, Bitlis, Bolu, Diyarbakır, Elazığ, Eskişehir, Istanbul, Kayseri, Konya, Kütahya, Malatya, Samsun, Şanlıurfa, and Trabzon.  

On November 6, 2023, banners were reported hanging from bridges in Ankara on the route that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was set to take to meet with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.[1] One banner read in English "Baby killer Blinken," while the other featured Al-Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu Ubayda.

A large banner that reads "Greetings to Hamas, continue the resistance!" was reported hanging from a building in Istanbul on November 23.[2]

A number of banners were reported to be hanging from bridges in Konya on November 20, 2023.[3] One banner read "Abu Ubayda, Pride of the Muslims."

Another copy of the same banner was photographed hanging from a different bridge in Konya.

A banner hanging from another bridge in the same city reads: "Hamas is the honor of the Muslims."

A banner photographed hanging from the fourth-century walls of the city of Diyarbakır and reported on December 7 reads: "A thousand greetings from Diyarbakir to Abu Ubayda. By land, by sea, by air."[4]

On November 26, a banner photographed hanging from the ninth-century walls of Urfa Castle in Şanlıurfa was reported that reads: "A thousand greetings from Şanlıurfa to Abu Ubayda."[5]

Another banner in Şanlıurfa reads: "A thousand greetings from Şanlıurfa to the mujahideen."

A banner photographed in Kütahya and reported on December 7 reads: "A thousand greetings to Hamas from Kütahya."[6]

A banner photographed in Samsun and reported on November 27 reads: "Commander of the Ummah. Greetings to Hamas, continue the resistance!"[7]

A banner reported on November 30 in Samsun reads: "Greetings to Hamas, continue the resistance! Free Jerusalem. A world without Israel!"[8] The Twitter account of Abu Ubayda, which has since been suspended, retweeted these banners.[9]

On November 22, a large banner was reported in Trabzon with a photo of Abu Ubayda and a quote attributed to him: "We only ask for help from Allah, and He will make a vehicle of whom he deems worthy. Allah did not deem those who stay silent [in the face of] cruelty to be worthy of this victory."[10]

A poster photographed in Bolu and reported on December 6 reads: "Greetings to Hamas, continue the resistance!"[11]

On December 12, a banner photographed in Elazığ was reported that reads: "Greetings to Gaza's commanders Muhammad Deif and Abu Ubayda" and includes a quote attributed to Ubayda: "We only ask for help from Allah, and He will make a vehicle of whom he deems worthy. Allah did not deem those who stay silent [in the face of] cruelty to be worthy of this victory."[12]

A banner photographed in Malatya and reported in early December reads "Greetings from Malatya" and a quote attributed to Ubayda: "We believe that we will pray in Jerusalem with the grandsons of the Ottomans! By land, by sea, by air."[13] The banner was only reported on Reddit, but it bears text unique to Malatya and follows the format of banners reported by local news outlets in other cities around Turkey.

A banner reported on December 12 photographed in Alanya reads: "A thousand greetings from Alanya to Abu Ubayda." Text in English on the banner reads: "We are with you."[14]

A banner reported on December 12 photographed in Kayseri reads: "Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam is our honor."[15]

On October 18, in Tatvan, in Bitlis province, posters were reported on the street that featured Hamas fighters and read: "Hamas is our Honor" and "Greetings to Hamas."[16]

A banner photographed hanging from a bridge in Kurtuluş district of Eskişehir and reported on December 2 reads: "A thousand greetings from Kurtuluş to Abu Ubayda. By land, by sea, by air."[17]

On November 7, graffiti was reported on a building and posters of the leading opposition party, the CHP, that reads "Hamas," "Israel = CHP," and "Hamas came, run free."[18]