The Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office announced Friday that a Turkish criminal court has issued arrest warrants for 37 individuals, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity committed in the Gaza Strip.
According to the statement, the warrants were issued by Istanbul’s Criminal Court of Peace following a formal request from the Prosecutor’s Office.
The officials are accused of orchestrating systematic genocide in Gaza and targeting the “Global Freedom Flotilla,” which sought to break the Israeli blockade on the besieged enclave.
The statement cited testimonies from flotilla activists who arrived in Turkey in October, asserting that senior Israeli officials bear criminal responsibility for both the genocidal campaign in Gaza and the assault on the humanitarian flotilla.
On October 1, Israeli occupation forces attacked 42 vessels belonging to the Global Freedom Flotilla while they were sailing in international waters toward Gaza.
Hundreds of international activists were abducted and transferred to Israel’s Ketziot prison in the Naqab (Negev) desert before being deported on October 3.
Besides Netanyahu, among those named in the arrest warrants are Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, and Navy Commander David Saar.
The charges include crimes against humanity under Article 77 of Turkey’s Penal Code and genocide under Article 76.
The Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that the investigation remains ongoing and is being pursued through a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach.
While Turkey has maintained formal diplomatic relations with Israel—including past military cooperation and joint drills—its stance has shifted sharply since the onset of the Gaza genocide.
Ankara has suspended trade routes, condemned Israeli actions, and intensified legal and political pressure.
This marks a renewed rupture reminiscent of the fallout from the 2010 Israeli assault on the Mavi Marmara, a Turkish-flagged humanitarian vessel that was part of the original Gaza flotilla.
On May 31, 2010, Israeli naval forces stormed the Mavi Marmara in international waters, killing nine Turkish nationals on board. A tenth victim, Furkan Doğan, a 19-year-old U.S.-Turkish dual citizen, later died from his injuries.
The victims were unarmed civilians delivering aid and medical supplies to Gaza. The attack drew global condemnation and led to a years-long diplomatic freeze between Turkey and Israel.
