Jerusalem, 11 April, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said tonight that Israel, under his leadership, “will continue to fight Iran’s terror regime and its proxies, unlike Erdogan, who accommodates them and massacres his own Kurdish citizens.”
Earlier in the day, in a move unlikely to have any practical impact outside Turkey, the country’s chief prosecutor in Istanbul filed an indictment against 35 senior Israeli officials, including PM Netanyahu, over last year’s Israeli naval interception of a Gaza-bound flotilla.
The indictment accuses the officials of involvement in a military operation against civilian vessels in international waters during the October “Sumud” flotilla to Gaza. Prosecutors are seeking severe penalties, including life imprisonment and additional cumulative prison terms, though Turkish media did not specify the punishment sought for each defendant.
Netanyahu heads the list of those charged. Also named are Defense Minister Israel Katz, former defense minister Yoav Gallant, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and Israeli Navy Commander Vice Adm. David Salama. Former IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari, lawmaker Tally Gotliv and former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen are also included.
The flotilla, which followed smaller attempts in June and July, involved about 40 vessels. Israeli forces intercepted the convoy and detained roughly 450 participants, including Turkish nationals. All were later deported. The vessels, contrary to the organizers’ claims, were not carrying any kind of humanitarian aid for Gaza.
Turkey’s justice minister said the indictment reflected Ankara’s commitment to international law and accountability. Israeli officials have not formally responded.
PM Netanyahu has slammed Turkey over its human rights record on several occasions in the past, highlighting not only the treatment of Kurds and other minorities in the country, but also the occupation of the northern part of Cyprus since the 1974 invasion of the island, an action that has been condemned by almost every international body, including the UN Security Council.