Turkey has issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and 36 other Israeli officials, accusing them of genocide and crimes against humanity linked to events in Gaza.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office announced these warrants on Friday, listing key figures including Defence Minister Israel Katz, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, and military chief Eyal Zamir.
The charges relate to the Israeli military actions in Gaza as well as an incident involving a humanitarian flotilla attempting to deliver aid to the territory, which Israeli forces intercepted last month. This legal move by Turkey escalates an already strained relationship between Ankara and Jerusalem.
Israel strongly rejected the warrants. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar condemned the action, calling it a “PR stunt” devised by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Sa’ar criticised the Turkish judiciary as a politicised tool, referencing the controversial detention of Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu earlier this year on corruption and terrorism charges widely seen as politically motivated.
Hamas welcomed the warrants, declaring that the decision “confirms the noble positions of the Turkish people and its leadership,” displaying Turkey’s outspoken support for Palestinian factions amid ongoing conflict.
These developments come as international efforts to stabilise Gaza continue. Recently, several Muslim-majority countries met in Istanbul to discuss an International Stabilisation Force (ISF) for Gaza, part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20-point ceasefire proposal. The ISF aims to train a new Palestinian police force and maintain order in the enclave.
U.S. officials have identified Turkey, which played a crucial role in securing Hamas’s ceasefire agreement, as a potential member of the proposed force. Nonetheless, Israel remains firmly opposed to Turkish military presence in Gaza.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance confirmed that Israel’s approval would be necessary for any foreign troops deployed in Gaza, highlighting the delicate diplomatic balance.
Turkey’s arrest warrants echo earlier actions taken by global legal institutions. Almost a year ago, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu on war crimes allegations relating to Gaza. The Israeli government dismissed the ICC’s warrant as “absurd and antisemitic,” refusing to cooperate with the court.