Turkey Seeks Interpol Red Notice for Netanyahu Over Gaza Flotilla
Turkey has asked Interpol to issue Red Notices for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli citizen Afek Moskovitch over the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza in 2025.
Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said the request is part of an ongoing case in Istanbul concerning the interception of the flotilla in international waters and the detention of activists attempting to deliver aid to Gaza.
Netanyahu and 34 other Israeli officials face charges in Turkey including alleged crimes against humanity, genocide, unlawful detention, torture, intentional injury, property damage and hijacking.
The Global Sumud Flotilla sailed in September 2025 with dozens of vessels and activists from more than 40 countries. Israeli forces intercepted most of the boats and detained hundreds of participants, including 48 Turkish activists.
An Interpol Red Notice is a request to member countries to locate and provisionally detain a wanted person pending extradition or legal proceedings. However, it does not itself constitute an international arrest warrant, and member countries are not legally required to make an arrest.
Netanyahu’s office strongly rejected Turkey’s move and accused President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of antisemitism, saying the effort would not intimidate Israeli leaders or soldiers.
The dispute comes as relations between Turkey and Israel are already deteriorating over Syria. Israel recently struck a Syrian air base over alleged plans for a Turkish military deployment, while Ankara rejected the Israeli claims.
Turkey has previously pursued similar Interpol notices against former Israeli military officials over the 2010 Mavi Marmara raid, but those efforts did not result in arrests.
