Turkey issues international arrest warrant for Netanyahu over Gaza flotilla

As part of an investigation into Israel's interception of the Gaza-bound aid flotilla known as the "Flotilla of Steadfastness," Turkey has issued an international arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The announcement was made by Turkish Minister of Justice Akin Gurlek on Friday via his official account on the X platform.

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Turkish authorities launched an investigation into the "Global Flotilla of Steadfastness" after it was attacked in international waters, an incident attributed to Israeli naval forces in violation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

In November of last year, Turkish courts issued arrest warrants on charges of "genocide" against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and several Israeli officials, including Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

The Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office stated that the warrants target 37 suspects, though it did not release a full list of names. The office added that the arrest orders were issued on suspicion of genocide and crimes against humanity in Gaza, noting that the Criminal Court of Peace issued the orders on Friday at its request, with the investigation continuing thoroughly and on multiple fronts.

According to the prosecutor's statement, the case includes the killing of six-year-old Hind Rajab on January 29, 2024; the attack on Al-Ahli Arab Hospital on October 17, 2023, which resulted in 500 deaths; the deliberate destruction of medical equipment on February 29, 2024; and the bombing of the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital on March 21, 2025. The statement also cited attacks on health institutions and the obstruction of aid deliveries, describing these acts as part of a "systematic pattern."