Turkey is advancing a request for an Interpol red notice to track Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after a court issued arrest warrants in the case of the Gaza aid flotilla attack.
On 22 Aug 2026 GMT+7, Al Jazeera reported that a Turkish court is pushing Interpol to issue a red notice to track Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces charges of genocide, crimes against humanity, and torture related to Israel's interception of a Gaza aid flotilla in May 2026.
Akin Gerlek, Turkey's Minister of Justice, revealed that the Turkish court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and another suspect on 14 Jul in a case involving 35 accused individuals. The case concerns Israeli forces intercepting the Global Sumud Flotilla for Gaza in international waters. He added that the Justice Ministry has requested the Interior Ministry to issue an Interpol red notice to enable tracking suspects overseas, affirming Turkey will use both domestic and international legal mechanisms to hold Israel accountable for what Turkey calls crimes in Gaza.
Reports state that the incident triggering the case occurred in May when Israeli forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was en route to Gaza to deliver aid. Organizers said about 50 vessels participated before Israeli troops detained them in the Mediterranean Sea and took participants to prison before deportation. The interception drew international condemnation, with France, Italy, and Australia launching legal inquiries into the events.
Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu's office responded by calling Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s efforts to intimidate Israeli leaders and soldiers unsuccessful. It accused Erdoğan of anti-Semitic attitudes and affirmed Israel will continue to oppose Turkey's attempts to destabilize the region.
Source: Aljazeera