Turkey accuses Israel of genocide, seeks arrest of Benjamin Netanyahu and 36 officials.

Turkey has taken the unprecedented legal step of issuing 37 arrest warrants—including one for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity. 

The warrants were released by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office on Friday and list Israel’s Defence Minister Yisrael Katz, National Security Minister Itamar Ben‑Gvir, and the Israeli army chief Lt Gen. Eyal Zamir among those targeted. 

According to the Turkish prosecutors, the Israeli military campaign in Gaza involved systematic violence against civilians, including women and children, destruction of residential areas, blockade of aid, and attacks on hospitals—citing examples such as a Turkish-Palestinian hospital bombing and incidents involving the Global Sumud Flotilla. 

Turkey is acting under its national laws that allow universal jurisdiction for genocide and crimes against humanity, even if the suspects are not within Turkish territory. The suspects are currently outside Turkey, so the warrants are in absentia. 

Israel responded strongly, calling the action a political stunt. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar reportedly called the warrant “a PR stunt by the tyrant Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.” 

The move marks a major escalation in Israeli-Turkish diplomatic tensions and could have international implications for Israeli officials’ travel and diplomatic immunity.Turkey has taken the unprecedented legal step of issuing 37 arrest warrants—including one for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity. 

The warrants were released by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office on Friday and list Israel’s Defence Minister Yisrael Katz, National Security Minister Itamar Ben‑Gvir, and the Israeli army chief Lt Gen. Eyal Zamir among those targeted. 

According to the Turkish prosecutors, the Israeli military campaign in Gaza involved systematic violence against civilians, including women and children, destruction of residential areas, blockade of aid, and attacks on hospitals—citing examples such as a Turkish-Palestinian hospital bombing and incidents involving the Global Sumud Flotilla. 

Turkey is acting under its national laws that allow universal jurisdiction for genocide and crimes against humanity, even if th suspects are not within Turkish territory. The suspects are currently outside Turkey, so the warrants are in absentia. 

Israel responded strongly, calling the action a political stunt. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar reportedly called the warrant “a PR stunt by the tyrant Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.” 

The move marks a major escalation in Israeli-Turkish diplomatic tensions and could have international implications for Israeli officials’ travel and diplomatic immunity.