Istanbul: Turkey has issued arrest warrants accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior members of his government of committing genocide during the war in Gaza.

The decision, announced by Istanbul prosecutors on Friday, targets 37 Israeli officials, though a complete list has not been made public. Among those named are Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, and Army Chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir.

According to the prosecutor’s office, the Israeli leaders are accused of “genocide and crimes against humanity” allegedly “perpetrated systematically” in Gaza. The statement also mentioned the “Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital” in Gaza, which Turkey built and which Israel bombed in March.

How did Israel respond?

Israel reacted sharply to the announcement. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Israel “firmly rejects, with contempt” the charges, describing them as “the latest PR stunt by the tyrant (Turkish President Recep Tayyip) Erdogan.”

In a post on X, Saar added that “in Erdogan’s Turkey, the judiciary has long since become a tool for silencing political rivals and detaining journalists, judges and mayors.” He further claimed that the Istanbul prosecutor’s office “recently orchestrated the arrest of the Mayor of Istanbul merely for daring to run against Erdogan,” referring to Ekrem Imamoglu, who was detained in March.

How has Turkey positioned itself in the Gaza conflict?

Turkey has been among the strongest critics of Israel’s actions in Gaza. Last year, Ankara joined South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Israel of genocide.

A ceasefire has been in place in Gaza since October 10, as part of US President Donald Trump’s regional peace plan, following months of devastating conflict.

Hamas praised Turkey’s move, calling it a “commendable measure (confirming) the sincere positions of the Turkish people and their leaders, who are committed to the values of justice, humanity and fraternity that bind them to our oppressed Palestinian people.”

What are the implications for Turkey’s role in post-war Gaza?

Turkey has expressed interest in joining the proposed international stabilisation force expected to operate in Gaza once the conflict ends, as outlined in Trump’s plan. However, Israel has made clear its objection to Turkey’s involvement, arguing that Ankara is too close to Hamas.

Israel’s former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman wrote on X that the arrest warrants “clearly explain why Turkey should not be present in the Gaza Strip — directly or indirectly.”

Israel, for its part, has consistently denied accusations of genocide, calling them “false” and “antisemitic.” Israeli leaders argue that such claims, made by UN bodies, NGOs, and several governments, distort the nature of the conflict.

AFP inputs