Gunmen take seven staff hostage at Procter & Gamble factory in Turkey
Two gunmen have taken seven people hostage at a factory in Turkey owned by the US company Procter & Gamble, according to media reports, in an apparent protest over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
Turkish media published an image of one of the purported suspects inside the factory – a man wearing what appeared to be a rudimentary explosives belt and holding a handgun.
The private news agency DHA said the men entered the main building of the facility in Gebze, in the province of Kocaeli, at about 3pm local time on Thursday and took seven members of staff hostage.
It said they claimed their actions were to highlight the loss of life in the Palestinian enclave. About 27,000 people have been killed in Gaza in Israel’s military operation since 7 October, according to the Hamas-controlled health ministry.
Ismet Zihni said his wife, Suheyla, was among the hostages. Speaking from near the factory, he told DHA that he had phoned her. “She answered: ‘We’ve been taken hostage, we’re fine,’ and she hung up,” he said.
Police closed roads near the factory and were said to be trying to negotiate with the hostage takers.
P&G’s head office in Cincinnati confirmed an ongoing incident. A spokesperson said: “The safety of P&G people and our partners is our top priority. Earlier today, we evacuated our Gebze facility and are working with local authorities to resolve an urgent security situation.”
P&G Turkey employs 700 people at three sites in Istanbul and Kocaeli, according to the company’s website. It produces cleaning and hygiene brands such as Ariel washing powder and Oral-B toothpaste.
Public feeling against Israel and its main ally the US has risen in Turkey since the conflict began, with regular protests in support of the Palestinian people in major cities and calls for an immediate ceasefire.
The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has been particularly outspoken, referring to Israeli “war crimes” and comparing the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to Adolf Hitler.
The US embassy in Ankara issued a warning in November about demonstrations “critical of US foreign policy” and calls for boycotts of US businesses. The advice followed protests and attacks on outlets such as McDonald’s and Starbucks over the Gaza conflict.
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The photograph of the suspect carried in the Turkish media shows him with a black-and-white Arabic headscarf covering his face.
He is standing next to a graffitied wall showing the Turkish and Palestinian flags with the slogan: “The gates will open. Either musalla or death for Gaza.” A musalla is an open prayer area for Muslims, usually used for funeral rites.
DHA also published a photo of some of the hostages celebrating a birthday. It reported that the staff had brought a cake into work for one of their colleagues, and the hostage takers allowed them to celebrate.