The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor has targeted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and several other top Israeli government officials with arrest warrants over accusations of genocide and crimes against humanity.
Among the 37 individuals listed are:
- Israel Katz, Minister of Defense
- Itamar Ben-Gvir, Minister of National Security
- Eyal Zamir, Chief of the General Staff
The Turkish prosecutor’s office alleges that these officials bear responsibility for the deaths of thousands of Palestinians, widespread injuries, and the destruction of residential areas in the Gaza Strip, making them uninhabitable. The full list of accused has not yet been made public.
Reactions:
- Israel has strongly rejected the accusations. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described the move as the “latest propaganda deception” by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, whom he labeled a “tyrant.”
- Hamas, whose large-scale attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 triggered the Gaza conflict, welcomed Turkey’s action. (Hamas is classified as a terrorist organization by several countries, including Germany.)
