Turkey seeks Interpol red notice against Netanyahu over Gaza aid flotilla case

Turkey has formally requested Interpol to issue red notices against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and another individual, citing their involvement in the violent interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla during its attempt to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. The request comes amid ongoing domestic legal proceedings in Turkey concerning the incident, which took place in international waters off the coast of Gaza. The Turkish Justice Minister, Akin Gurlek, announced that arrest warrants had been issued for Netanyahu and a second suspect, charging them with offenses including genocide, crimes against humanity, torture, property damage, and the hijacking of transportation. The case involves 35 individuals accused of participating in the Israeli military operation that led to the detention of all 429 activists aboard the flotilla. Interpol has yet to confirm whether it has accepted the request for red notices. Netanyahu is already subject to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court in November 2024, alleging war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. An Interpol Red Notice serves as a request to global law enforcement agencies to locate and temporarily detain an individual while legal procedures such as extradition or surrender are underway. It does not constitute an international arrest warrant. The arrest warrants for Netanyahu and the other suspect were issued by Istanbul’s 11th High Criminal Court on July 14. Reports suggest that the second suspect is Afek Moskovitch, an Israeli army lieutenant accused of involvement in the destruction of the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital in Gaza. Judicial proceedings continue regarding the alleged armed intervention against civilians attempting to deliver humanitarian aid in international waters and the detention of activists. Gurlek emphasized that the government would not tolerate the concealment of crimes committed in Gaza or the protection of perpetrators through impunity. He stated that all available national and international legal mechanisms would be employed to address these allegations. “We will resolutely use all means available under national and international law,” he said. The Global Sumud Flotilla, also known as the Gaza Flotilla, was a civilian initiative aimed at transporting humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. It departed from the Turkish port of Marmaris on May 14, comprising dozens of boats carrying over 400 activists from approximately 40 countries. On May 18–19, Israeli forces intercepted the vessels in international waters, roughly 460 kilometers from Gaza, and detained all 429 individuals onboard, according to organizers. Most of the detainees were returned to Istanbul on May 21. This marked the sixth flotilla to depart for Gaza since the onset of the conflict, which began following the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. Upon their return, some participants claimed they had endured physical abuse or other forms of mistreatment during their time in Israeli custody. An Australian activist, Juliet Lamont, recounted being dragged, beaten, and sexually assaulted, describing her four-day detention as “absolute hell.” Another participant, Sam Woripa Watson, reported suffering a fractured rib and witnessing activists subjected to tasers and rubber bullets. These accounts were refuted by Israeli authorities.