In a surprising move, Turkey has issued an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and several top Israeli officials. They are accused of committing war crimes and mass killings in Gaza since October 2023.
The arrest warrant was made public by Istanbul’s prosecutor’s office on Friday. It includes 37 senior Israeli figures, among them Defense Minister Israel Katz, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and Army Chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir. The full list, however, has not been revealed yet.
Accusations of war crimes
According to Turkish authorities, these leaders were directly involved in attacks and blockades that caused huge civilian losses. The statement mentioned the deadly strike on Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital on October 17, 2023, which killed around 500 people, and the destruction of medical equipment on February 29, 2024. It also accused Israel of blocking humanitarian aid and trapping innocent civilians inside Gaza.
Israel strongly condemned the move, calling it a political show. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said on X (formerly Twitter) that Israel “completely rejects the latest PR stunt by authoritarian president Erdogan.”
The Palestinian group Hamas praised Turkey’s action, calling it a courageous and honest decision. They said it shows Turkey’s firm support for justice, humanity, and the Palestinian people.
This latest development follows an earlier warrant issued by the International Criminal Court against Netanyahu and his then Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes. Turkey had also supported South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the time.
Since October 2023, Israel’s attacks on Gaza have killed over 68,000 Palestinians and injured more than 170,000 others, according to reports. The ongoing violence has drawn global criticism and renewed calls for accountability.
