Turkish court issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Israeli officials over Gaza “genocide”

ISTANBUL, Turkey — Turkey on Friday issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and 36 other Israeli officials, accusing them of “genocide” and crimes against humanity in Gaza, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said.

The warrants target senior Israeli figures, including Defense Minister Israel Katz, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, and military chief Eyal Zamir, among others. The charges relate to alleged atrocities in Gaza and an Israeli interception of a humanitarian flotilla last month.

Israel swiftly condemned the move. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar dismissed it as a “PR stunt” by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, saying Turkey’s judiciary has long been used to silence political rivals and detain journalists, judges, and opposition figures. Sa’ar referenced the March arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a leading Erdoğan opponent, amid corruption and terrorism investigations.

Hamas welcomed the warrants, stating that the decision “confirms the noble positions of the Turkish people and its leadership.”

The warrants also cast uncertainty over Turkey’s potential role in a multinational security force in Gaza, part of a US-brokered ceasefire plan. Earlier this week, several Muslim-majority countries met in Istanbul to discuss an International Stabilization Force (ISF) for Gaza, aimed at training a Palestinian police force and stabilizing the enclave.

US officials have noted Turkey’s key role in securing a ceasefire with Hamas and cited it as a potential participant in the ISF. Israel has made clear it opposes Turkish troops in Gaza, while US Vice President JD Vance said Israel must consent to any foreign forces deployed there.

The Turkish warrants come nearly a year after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant for Netanyahu, accusing him of war crimes—a move his office dismissed as “absurd and antisemitic.”

GAROWE ONLINE