Turkiye issues arrest warrant for Netanyahu over Gaza ‘genocide’

Türkiye has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and several senior Israeli officials on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity in connection with Israel’s war in Gaza.

According to a statement released on Friday by the Istanbul prosecutor’s office, arrest warrants have been issued for 37 Israeli officials, including Defence Minister Israel Katz, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and army chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir. The full list of suspects was not made public.

The statement accuses Israeli leaders of carrying out “systematic acts of genocide and crimes against humanity” since the war began in October 2023. It cites several incidents, including the October 17, 2023 bombing of Gaza’s al-Ahli Baptist Hospital, which killed about 500 people, and the February 29, 2024 destruction of medical equipment by Israeli soldiers. It also references Israel’s blockade of Gaza and the denial of humanitarian access.

The prosecutor’s office further highlighted the bombing of the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, built by Türkiye in the Gaza Strip, which was struck by Israeli forces in March.

Israel condemned the move as a “publicity stunt.”

“Israel firmly rejects, with contempt, the latest PR stunt by the tyrant [President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan,” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar wrote on X.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian group Hamas welcomed Türkiye’s announcement, calling it a “commendable step that reflects the sincere commitment of the Turkish people and their leadership to justice, humanity, and solidarity with our oppressed Palestinian nation.”

The development comes nearly a year after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes. Türkiye also joined South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) last year.

According to Gaza’s health authorities, Israel’s war on the enclave has so far killed at least 68,875 Palestinians and wounded more than 170,000 since October 2023.