Netanyahu accused of war crimes in Gaza Strip: Istanbul issues arrest warrant
Photo: Benjamin Netanyahu (Getty Images)
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has issued arrest warrants for 37 Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip, according to the Turkish state agency Anadolu.
Reports indicate that the arrest warrants target key members of the Israeli government.
Among those named are Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Navy Commander Vice Admiral David Saar Salama, and several other senior officials.
The decision concerns actions that, according to the prosecution, fall under the charges of genocide and crimes against humanity.
Link to ICC
In November of last year, the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague had already issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and several other Israeli officials.
The court alleged that during Israel’s 2023–2024 military operation in Gaza, they organized attacks on Palestinian civilians, actions deemed to constitute crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Israel–Türkiye tensions
Following diplomatic consultations, Middle Eastern allies reached new agreements on the formation of international stabilization forces for Gaza. However, Israel and the United States reportedly ensured that the Turkish military would not be included in the planned International Stabilization Forces (ISF) once active combat ends.
Israel intends to determine the composition of these international forces independently, as part of the ceasefire plan proposed by US President Donald Trump’s administration.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed his intention to run for re-election in October 2026, stating in an interview with Channel 14 that he will seek a new mandate as head of government.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s coalition faces instability after National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir threatened to withdraw from the government unless the prime minister dismantles Hamas and introduces the death penalty for terrorists.
