Palestine hails Türkiye’s arrest warrants against 37 Israeli officials as 'victory for justice'

Palestine has hailed Türkiye’s arrest warrants against 37 Israeli officials as a victory for justice, calling on other countries to follow Ankara’s example.

The warrants issued by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office target senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Israel Katz, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Army Chief Eyal Zamir, and Israeli Naval Forces Commander David Saar Salama.

Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Friday hailed the move as a noble deed by the Turkish people and their leaders.

“This esteemed step confirms the noble positions of the Turkish people and their leadership, which align with the values of justice and humanity, as well as the bonds of brotherhood with our oppressed Palestinian people.”

Hamas called on other countries to pursue the same.

“We call on all countries worldwide and their judicial bodies to issue legal warrants to pursue the terrorist Zionist occupation leaders everywhere and work to bring them to court and hold them accountable for their crimes against humanity.”

In a separate statement, the Palestinian foreign ministry also appreciated the action taken by Türkiye.

“This courageous legal action represents a victory for the principle of justice and an embodiment of the will of free nations and leaders rejecting the policy of impunity that some countries have granted to Israel,” the Palestinian foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

It stressed that the move “also reaffirms the universality of jurisdiction in confronting war crimes and crimes against humanity.”

The ministry said the measures taken by the Turkish judiciary reflect “an advanced legal and moral stance and send a clear message that those who commit crimes against the Palestinian people will not escape accountability, regardless of their positions.”

In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over war crimes and crimes against humanity committed against Palestinians in Gaza.

Israel has killed over 69,000 people, mostly women and children, and wounded over 170,000 others in a brutal assault in Gaza since October 2023, before the ceasefire took effect on October 10.

However, Israel has continued to violate the truce.