Dual Israeli-Turkish citizen and social media influencer Kloyda Medina Halfon was attacked by a pro-Palestinian mob while shopping in Istanbul's Istinyepark mall on Sunday, according to footage circulating on social media.
The footage appears to show Halfon, who has previously been a target of extremist Islamist groups, attempting to evade the mob unsuccessfully, while Turkish and Palestinian flags were unfurled and insults shouted at her.
"There is a terrorist in Istanbul!" one person can be heard shouting, while another is heard calling her a "child killer," according to the footage, shouting that "we don't want Zionists in our country!" and that "Israel is a murderer!"
Security personnel quickly intervened in the incident, escorting Halfon away from the protesters and out of the mall.
Throughout the footage shared, a voice can be heard urging people to share this "success" online, specifically, the fact that the police removed the Israeli woman from the premises.
A pro-Palestinian group, named "7 Ekim Hareketi," which translates to "October 7 attacks", accused Halfon of providing medical care and accommodation to IDF soldiers under the guise of health tourism, which it claims violates custom regulations.
On Friday, the group shared on social media that it had filed a criminal complaint against Halfon with the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
"Turkey rolls out the red carpet for Hamas terrorists. Now an Israeli-Turkish citizen is harassed and screamed at in an Istanbul mall," the Foreign Ministry wrote in a Monday post to X/Twitter, condemning the incident.
"When a government gives terrorists a safe haven, it should come as no surprise when their hatred is echoed on its streets."
The ministry called the incident "disgraceful and unacceptable."
Encountering antisemitism in Turkey
In a separate video of her own, Halfon addressed the public, stating: "I am a local from Istanbul. I was born and raised here. My entire family lives here, and there is a large Jewish community."
"I speak both Turkish and Hebrew, and yes, I do speak Hebrew out in public. But you have to be careful; it’s not appropriate everywhere. I have encountered instances of antisemitism."
"There were places where we were told, 'You’re Israelis, so we won’t serve you.' It has happened; don’t let anyone tell you otherwise," she warned.