Turkey has requested that Interpol issue a “red notice” for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as part of the ongoing legal proceedings regarding the attack on activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was transporting humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurek announced this development on Friday, stating that the trial is currently underway before the 11th Criminal Court of Istanbul and involves a total of 35 defendants, including Netanyahu and Afek Moskovitz.
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As he stated in a post published on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal, on July 14, 2026, arrest warrants were issued for Netanyahu and Moskovitz on charges of “genocide.”
Following the issuance of the warrants, the Turkish Ministry of Justice asked the Ministry of the Interior to initiate the necessary procedures for issuing Interpol Red Notices against the two accused.
According to Gürlek, the relevant documents have also been forwarded to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The case, as the Turkish Minister of Justice stated, concerns the “an armed intervention against civilians delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza in international waters and the detention of activists.”
Netanyahu and Moskovitz face a series of serious charges. These include “crimes against humanity,” “genocide,” “aggravated deprivation of liberty,” “intentional infliction of bodily harm,” “torture,” “destruction of property,” “aggravated robbery,” and “air piracy or hijacking of transportation.”
Ankara links these specific charges to events that allegedly occurred during the raid on the Global Sumud Flotilla, while it was in international waters transporting humanitarian aid bound for Gaza.
Gürlek emphasized that the Turkish authorities intend to continue the proceedings using the means provided for under both national and international law.
“We will not allow the crimes committed in Gaza to be covered up, nor will we allow those responsible to hide behind a shield of impunity,” stated the Turkish Minister of Justice.
“We will resolutely use all the means at our disposal under national and international law,” he added.
According to Gürlek, the move to issue a red notice is part of the ongoing criminal proceedings in Istanbul, which, in addition to Netanyahu and Moskovitz, includes 33 other defendants.
