Turkey has shocked the international community by issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and several top officials over alleged genocide and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
The Istanbul prosecutor’s office announced on Friday that 37 Israeli officials are being targeted in total, including Defence Minister Israel Katz, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, and army chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir.
The officials were accused of “genocide and crimes against humanity” that Israel has “perpetrated systematically” in Gaza.
The move, which comes amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East, was described as a strong message from Ankara against Israel’s military actions.
The prosecutor’s statement also referenced the bombing of the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital in Gaza earlier this year, a facility funded and built by Turkey that was reportedly destroyed during Israeli airstrikes in March.
In a swift and harsh response, Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar rejected the warrants, describing them as “the latest PR stunt by the tyrant (Turkish President Recep Tayyip) Erdogan.”
He wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “Israel firmly rejects, with contempt, the charges. In Erdogan’s Turkey, the judiciary has long since become a tool for silencing political rivals and detaining journalists, judges and mayors.”
Saar also pointed to the recent arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, claiming that the move demonstrated Ankara’s lack of judicial independence.
Meanwhile, former Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said the warrants “clearly explain why Turkey should not be present in the Gaza Strip — directly or indirectly.”
Turkey has been one of the most outspoken critics of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
The country has repeatedly condemned the war, accusing Israel of targeting civilians and violating international law.
Last year, Turkey joined South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which accuses Israel of genocide.
Furthermore, Ankara has expressed interest in joining an international stabilisation force proposed for Gaza as part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace plan.
However, Israeli officials have opposed the idea, arguing that Turkey is too close to Hamas to play a neutral role.
A fragile ceasefire has been in place in Gaza since October 10, but tensions remain high as humanitarian conditions worsen.
The militant group Hamas praised Turkey’s decision, describing it as a “commendable measure.”
In a statement, the group said the move “confirms the sincere positions of the Turkish people and their leaders, who are committed to the values of justice, humanity and fraternity that bind them to our oppressed Palestinian people.”
International reactions to Turkey’s announcement have been mixed. While some nations view it as a step toward accountability for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, others see it as politically charged.
Israel has long rejected accusations of genocide, calling them “false” and “antisemitic.”
