Overview
- The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said 37 Israeli political and military figures face arrest warrants on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity under Articles 76 and 77 of Turkey’s penal code.
- Named officials include Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and Navy Commander David Saar Salama, though the full list was not released.
- Prosecutors cited incidents such as the Oct. 17, 2023 Al-Ahli hospital blast, the April 1, 2024 deaths of World Central Kitchen aid workers, the bombing of the Turkish‑Palestinian Friendship Hospital, and the interception of the Sumud flotilla.
- Israel rejected the move as politically motivated, with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar calling it a PR stunt by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, while Hamas praised the announcement.
- The warrants add to overlapping ICC and ICJ actions and could complicate talks over a multinational Gaza security force under the US-brokered ceasefire, with enforcement uncertain unless suspects travel to jurisdictions willing to cooperate.