Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office announced on Friday the issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and several senior Israeli officials on charges of committing genocide and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip.
In an official statement, the prosecutor’s office said that warrants had been issued “against 37 suspects, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, for alleged involvement in acts constituting genocide and crimes against humanity.”
The statement accused Israeli authorities of carrying out mass bombardments of Gaza, obstructing the delivery of humanitarian aid, and engaging in actions that collectively amount to genocide under international law.
Parallel International Action
The move by Turkish prosecutors follows a similar decision by the International Criminal Court (ICC). On November 21, 2024, the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber I issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and then–Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza.
According to court documents, the alleged crimes include “using starvation as a method of warfare,” “wilful killing,” “persecution,” and “other inhumane acts.”
Israel has consistently rejected the ICC’s jurisdiction, arguing that it is not a signatory to the Rome Statute, the treaty establishing the court. Nonetheless, the ICC’s decision carries significant diplomatic weight. Under the Rome Statute, the 120 countries that are party to the treaty are obligated to detain individuals subject to ICC arrest warrants should they enter their territory.
As a result, both Netanyahu and Gallant are now effectively barred from traveling to a majority of the world’s nations without risk of arrest.
Legal and Political Fallout
The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that earlier petitions filed by Israel seeking to halt the ICC process were dismissed, clearing the way for the court’s decision. The fallout was immediate: Netanyahu dismissed Gallant from his position as defense minister soon after the ICC announcement, a move widely interpreted as an attempt to consolidate his government amid mounting international and domestic pressure.
The latest Turkish arrest warrant further isolates the Israeli leadership, adding to the growing international scrutiny over its conduct in Gaza. Turkey, a founding member of the ICC’s Rome Statute and a vocal critic of Israeli policy toward the Palestinians, has repeatedly called for international accountability for what it describes as “systematic atrocities” against civilians in the enclave.
Global Reaction and Next Steps
Legal experts note that while the Turkish warrant is largely symbolic and unlikely to lead to immediate arrests, it reflects an increasing willingness by national judicial systems to pursue accountability for alleged war crimes in Gaza. The move may also increase diplomatic tension between Ankara and Tel Aviv, whose relations have fluctuated sharply over the past two decades.
The ICC’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, had urged in September 2024 that the process of issuing warrants against Israeli officials be accelerated, revealing that he had faced political pressure from several world leaders to delay or block the move.
Khan’s remarks highlighted the growing divide between Western governments that continue to support Israel’s military campaign and international legal institutions calling for adherence to humanitarian law.
For Netanyahu, already facing domestic political instability and deep international criticism, the combination of ICC and Turkish legal action marks an unprecedented level of legal jeopardy for a sitting Israeli leader, one that could redefine his global standing and Israel’s diplomatic relations for years to come.
