Türkiye has sought an international arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of “genocide” in connection with Israel’s interception of an aid flotilla bound for Gaza, the country’s justice minister announced on Friday.
Türkiye has been a strong critic of Israel’s war in Gaza, which began following the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly accused Netanyahu of “genocide”.
The Israeli interception of a flotilla carrying around 430 activists in May triggered international criticism, with France, Italy and Australia also launching legal proceedings over the incident.
Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said on X that the justice ministry had asked the interior ministry to issue Interpol red notices for Netanyahu and another Israeli national, Afek Moskovitch.
“As part of the judicial proceedings concerning the attack in international waters on the Flotilla activists (…) and in accordance with the arrest warrants issued on July 14, 2026, against Benjamin Netanyahu and Afek Moskovitch for ‘genocide,’ the ministry of justice has requested that the ministry of the interior issue red notices for their international arrest,” the minister stated.
The two are being prosecuted over allegations including “crimes against humanity, genocide, aggravated deprivation of liberty, ‘intentional assault and battery,’ torture, destruction of property, aggravated looting, and hijacking of transport vehicles,” according to the ministry.
Netanyahu later responded by calling Erdogan an “antisemitic dictator” and said Israel would continue to counter what it described as Türkiye’s efforts to destabilise the region.
“Erdogan is an antisemitic dictator who massacred Kurds, supports the massacre of the Hamas terrorist organisation, and oppresses his own people,” the statement read. “Israel will continue to act forcefully against Turkey’s attempts to destabilise the region and against any threat to its security.”
Around 50 vessels were part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which departed Türkiye in May for the besieged Palestinian territory. Israeli forces intercepted the activists in the Mediterranean, after which they were detained and taken to an Israeli prison before later being expelled.
Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir also drew widespread criticism after posting a video showing him taunting flotilla activists who were kneeling with their hands tied behind their backs.
