HIBAPRESS
The Istanbul Criminal Court, based on a request from the Public Prosecutor's Office, issued arrest warrants on Friday against 37 individuals, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on charges related to "crimes against humanity" and "genocide" in connection with the war in the Gaza Strip.
Other targeted officials
The arrest warrants also included Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, while the Public Prosecutor's Office did not publish the full list of the remaining suspects.
Background of the accusations
The Public Prosecutor's Office in Istanbul said that the arrest warrants came as a result of "genocide and crimes against humanity committed by the State of Israel systematically in Gaza," noting that the attacks resulted in the deaths of thousands of people, including women and children, and the injury of thousands, and the conversion of residential areas into uninhabitable places.
Reactions
The head of the "Yisrael Beiteinu" party, Avigdor Lieberman, commented, saying: "The arrest warrants issued by Erdogan against senior Israeli officials clarify why Turkey should not be present in the Gaza Strip, whether directly or indirectly."
For his part, Netanyahu reiterated this week his rejection of the participation of Turkish forces in the international force planned to be deployed in the Strip, stressing in a conversation with senior reserve officers: "There will be no Turkish forces in the Gaza Strip."
International Context
Last year, Turkey joined a lawsuit filed by South Africa against Israel before the International Court of Justice, accusing Tel Aviv of "committing genocide."
It is worth noting that a peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trump established a fragile ceasefire in Gaza on October 10, after two years of the devastating war broke out.
