The first hearing of a trial of 20 defendants accused of espionage for Israeli intelligence service Mossad began on Tuesday in Istanbul. Two defendants testifying in the first hearing denied charges and claimed they were not aware of money wired to them by the Israeli operatives to spy on Palestinians in Türkiye.

Most suspects were foreigners living in Türkiye and were apprehended in one of many operations against Mossad operatives in recent years in the country, especially after a new round of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Fifteen defendants were remanded in custody, while others were released pending trial earlier.

One defendant said the money transfer to his account from Kenya was from a girlfriend he met online. The defendant, identified as A. after his initials, claimed he did not conduct espionage, his online friend was simply "aiding" him. Another defendant testifying in the hearing also denied charges and claimed money transfers to his accounts were because of his business.

The indictment against the defendants says defendants who were captured in January worked for an online unit of Mossad and collected information on "marks" provided by the Israeli operatives. Prosecutors say operatives contacted defendants through online job ads and recruited them for reconnaissance on Palestinians in Türkiye, particularly those linked to the resistance movement Hamas.

Defendants were paid through cryptocurrency or through the hawala system preferred by terrorist groups to avoid detection of traces of their funds. Prosecutors say the work of defendants would enable the assassination or abduction of their targets by Israeli intelligence. They ask for prison terms of up to 45 years for defendants on charges of political or military espionage.

As the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has raged on, Türkiye has uncovered several networks operated by Mossad in the country. Since January, authorities have detained or arrested and charged dozens of people suspected of having ties to Israel’s Mossad. Six people were charged in March in another investigation. They are accused of recruiting Turkish nationals and people of other nationalities living in the country to spy on Palestinians, particularly people associated with the resistance group Hamas. A Kosovan national identified as a manager of Mossad’s financial network in Türkiye was arrested by Istanbul police in August. Mossad is said to have also recruited Palestinians and Syrian nationals in Türkiye as part of an operation against foreigners living in Türkiye.

Türkiye and Israel resumed frozen relations last year after years of tensions due to Israel's acts of aggression targeting Palestinians. Yet, ties deteriorated again after Oct. 7, the start of the new round of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Ankara is one of the strongest critics of Israel's military actions in Gaza.

The head of Israel's domestic Shin Bet security agency said last December that his organization was prepared to target Hamas anywhere, including in Lebanon, Türkiye and Qatar. Turkish and Israeli leaders have traded public barbs since Israel's war on the Palestinian resistance group Hamas began in October. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned Israel of "serious consequences" if Israel pressed ahead with its threat to attack Hamas officials on Turkish soil.