An armed individual entered a factory belonging to an international company in Kocaeli on Thursday, triggering a rapid security response. Preliminary information indicates that a number of workers were held hostage in a province situated on the eastern outskirts of Istanbul. The incident appears to be tied to protests surrounding the Gaza war.
Turkish public institution Anadolu confirmed that a large contingent of police officers moved to the cosmetics factory located in the Gebze industrial site.
Local outlet Gebze Newspaper provides additional details: the hostage situation unfolded inside the factory of the American multinational Procter & Gamble. Officials were quoted as saying the attacker aimed to protest the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
The footage released by Anadolu shows a middle-aged man, part of his face concealed by a Palestinian scarf, gripping a firearm in one hand and wearing a yellow device on his chest that resembles an explosives belt.
The alleged attacker stands alone before a wall adorned with Turkish and Palestinian flags, with graffiti and slogans scrawled in Turkish, including phrases such as The gates will open and For Gaza, as well as a cryptic inscription that appears to be the word O and another neutral line about a place of prayer or death.
According to Anadolu, the Governor of Kocaeli, the administrative region to which Gebze belongs, has not yet released official information about the incident, and the number of workers involved remains unknown. Local authorities are assessing the situation as investigations continue to determine the motive and potential casualties, with further updates expected as the day progresses. This event underscores the volatile intersection of global political conflict and workplace security, and authorities stress the importance of verified information as the situation evolves.