A sharp diplomatic dispute has erupted between Turkiye and Israel after Ankara strongly criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and defended legal action against Israeli leaders over a controversial naval operation involving a Gaza aid flotilla.
Turkiye’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reacted strongly to Netanyahu’s comments on social media, describing him as the “Hitler of our times.” The statement was issued after Turkish prosecutors filed serious charges against Israel’s political and military leadership for intercepting the “Sumud” Gaza flotilla in October 2025.
According to Turkish media, prosecutors are seeking extremely long prison sentences for those involved in the operation. The indictment reportedly demands aggravated life sentences along with prison terms ranging from 1,102 years and 9 months to 4,596 years for each suspect.
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The case includes 35 individuals, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. They face accusations such as “crimes against humanity,” “genocide,” “torture,” “deprivation of liberty,” “damage to property,” and “qualified looting.”
Turkiye’s foreign ministry also referred to the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in November 2024 against Netanyahu for alleged “war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
In its statement, the ministry said Netanyahu’s goal was to weaken peace efforts in the region and continue expansionist policies. Turkish officials added that if such efforts failed, Netanyahu could eventually face trial and imprisonment even within Israel.
The ministry also defended Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after Israeli officials accused him of spreading false claims. Turkish officials said such accusations were made because Ankara had repeatedly raised concerns about the Gaza conflict on international platforms.
The diplomatic clash intensified after Netanyahu and Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz criticized Turkiye’s legal action. Netanyahu accused Erdogan of supporting Iran and its allies while also targeting Kurdish citizens inside Turkiye.
Defence Minister Katz also criticized Erdogan, calling him a “paper tiger” and accusing him of promoting anti-semitism and organizing what he described as “sham trials” against Israel’s leadership.
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The legal case in Turkiye is linked to the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a group of ships carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza. Activists say the vessels were travelling through international waters when Israeli naval forces boarded them.
Turkish prosecutors say the flotilla was stopped illegally and that several activists were detained during the operation. Among those reportedly held were climate activist Greta Thunberg, European Parliament member Rima Hassan, and Al Jazeera journalist Oman Faiad.
Following the incident, Turkish authorities launched an investigation based on international maritime law and domestic legal provisions.
The dispute has further strained relations between Turkiye and Israel, with both sides exchanging strong accusations as the Gaza conflict continues to draw international attention.
