Overview
- Prosecutors said 37 suspects were named, including Defense Minister Israel Katz, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and army chief Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, though the full list was not released.
- A duty magistrate approved the applications under Penal Code Articles 76 and 77 following an investigation coordinated with Turkey’s justice and foreign ministries.
- The filing cites specific episodes such as the Oct. 17, 2023 Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital blast, the April 1, 2024 World Central Kitchen aid-worker killings, the March strike on the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, and the Sumud flotilla interception.
- Israel rejected the move as a political stunt attributed to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, while Hamas welcomed it as a supportive step for Palestinians.
- Turkish authorities noted the suspects are outside Türkiye, making immediate arrests unlikely, as the action intensifies diplomatic friction and factors into talks over a multinational security force for Gaza under the U.S.-brokered ceasefire framework.