Istanbul, MINA – The 11th Istanbul High Criminal Court on Tuesday issued an international arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as part of an ongoing trial related to the hijacking of the Global Sumud Flotilla bound for Gaza by the Israeli occupation.
This interim ruling follows a wide-ranging public lawsuit against Netanyahu and several senior Israeli officials, with charges including crimes against humanity, genocide, intentional injury, and torture, Türkiye Today reported.
The indictment also includes property damage, aggravated looting, obstruction of transport vehicles, piracy or detention of ships, and unlawful deprivation of liberty.
The warrant is based on a temporary detention order issued in November 2025 against Netanyahu and dozens of other officials, covering both the attacks on the flotilla and the broader genocidal acts in Gaza.
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The case progressed further in April 2026, when the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office completed an indictment seeking aggravated life imprisonment, arguing that Turkish courts have jurisdiction under international maritime law. Tuesday’s ruling formalizes the effort to seek international enforcement of the charges.
Turkish prosecutors have based the case on articles of the Penal Code covering genocide and crimes against humanity, along with provisions from the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, given that the interception occurred in international waters.
In practical terms, the ruling serves as a basis for a Red Notice request through INTERPOL, asking member states to locate and detain Netanyahu. This carries real diplomatic and reputational weight and narrows Netanyahu’s travel options, but its enforcement depends entirely on the cooperation of other governments.
INTERPOL may reject notices deemed political, and Israel is expected to reject any such request outright. This is separate from the International Criminal Court, which issued its own arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former war minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024.[]
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