Türkiye is seeking Interpol Red Notices for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and another Israeli citizen over Israel’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza in 2025, Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said Friday.

Gurlek said the request was made as part of an ongoing criminal case in Türkiye concerning the interception of the flotilla in international waters and the detention of activists who were attempting to deliver humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza.

“We will not allow the crimes committed in Gaza to be covered up or those responsible to be shielded by impunity. We will resolutely use all available means under national and international law,” Gurlek said in a post on X.

The second person named in the request is Afek Moskovitch, although Turkish authorities have not publicly clarified his identity or the role he allegedly played in the interception of the flotilla.

Netanyahu and 34 other Israeli defendants have been charged in Türkiye with a range of offenses, including crimes against humanity, genocide, unlawful deprivation of liberty, intentional injury, torture, property damage, aggravated robbery and hijacking.

The Istanbul prosecutor's office indicted Netanyahu and 34 other Israeli officials in April 2026 in connection with the flotilla interception.

The proceedings subsequently began before an Istanbul court, which ordered Turkish authorities to seek an Interpol Red Notice for Netanyahu and Moskovitch.

The Turkish judicial proceedings are based on allegations concerning the interception of civilian vessels in international waters and the detention and treatment of activists aboard the flotilla.

The Global Sumud Flotilla was an international civilian initiative that sailed in September 2025 with dozens of vessels and activists from more than 40 countries.

The organizers said the mission was intended to challenge Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid to the besieged territory.

Israeli forces intercepted most of the vessels in international waters and detained hundreds of participants.

Among those aboard were dozens of Turkish citizens. Forty-eight Turkish activists were detained by Israeli forces during the interception, according to Turkish authorities.

The incident triggered strong condemnation from Ankara and further strained already tense relations between Türkiye and Israel.

An Interpol Red Notice is an international request to law-enforcement authorities in member countries to locate a wanted person and, where national law permits, provisionally detain that person pending extradition or other legal proceedings.

However, a Red Notice is not an international arrest warrant. Interpol reviews requests to determine whether they comply with its rules, while individual member states decide what legal action, if any, they will take.

Neither Israel nor other Interpol member states are automatically required to arrest a person solely because a Red Notice has been issued. (ILKHA)

The practical impact of any notice against Netanyahu would therefore depend heavily on the countries through which he travels and their domestic laws.

Türkiye has previously sought Interpol action against Israeli officials.

In 2014, a Turkish court requested Red Notices for four former Israeli military officials over their alleged involvement in the 2010 Israeli raid on the Gaza-bound Mavi Marmara vessel.

Ten Turkish citizens were killed in that operation, which triggered a major diplomatic crisis between Ankara and Tel Aviv.

No arrests resulted from the Turkish proceedings.

The latest case represents another attempt by Turkish authorities to pursue Israeli officials through international legal mechanisms over actions connected to Gaza.

Netanyahu’s office strongly rejected the Turkish move later Friday, accusing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of antisemitism and describing the proceedings as politically motivated.

“Erdogan is an antisemitic dictator,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement. It also accused the Turkish president of seeking to extend what it described as his aggression against Israel into Syria.

The statement further described the Turkish initiative as an attempt to intimidate Israeli leaders and soldiers, saying it would have no effect.

The sharp exchange reflects the increasingly confrontational relationship between Ankara and Tel Aviv.

The dispute comes amid heightened tensions between Türkiye and Israel over developments in Syria.

Israel carried out a strike Tuesday against Abu al-Duhur air base in northwestern Syria, about 70 kilometers east of the Turkish border.

Israel said it acted because Damascus was planning to allow Turkish forces to deploy at the base. Ankara rejected the allegation as “frivolous.”

Türkiye has increasingly criticized Israeli military operations in Syria, while Israeli officials have expressed concern over the possible expansion of Turkish military influence in the country.

Turkish officials have also accused Netanyahu's government of exploiting tensions with Ankara for domestic political purposes ahead of Israel's October elections.

The latest Interpol request is not the first time Turkish judicial authorities have sought Netanyahu's arrest.

In November, an Istanbul court issued domestic arrest warrants for Netanyahu and 36 other Israeli officials over allegations including genocide and crimes against humanity related to Israel's war in Gaza.

Those warrants had limited practical effect because Turkish authorities cannot enforce them outside their jurisdiction and Netanyahu would have to enter Turkish territory for the orders to be directly enforceable.

The latest effort to seek Interpol Red Notices could potentially broaden the international dimension of the Turkish proceedings, although any action by Interpol and individual member states remains subject to their respective legal procedures.

The case is likely to further deepen the diplomatic and political confrontation between Türkiye and Israel, particularly as disputes over Gaza and Syria continue to strain relations between the two countries. (ILKHA)