Gunfight outside Israel's Istanbul consulate leaves one dead, two wounded

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A gunman was shot and killed, while two others were injured in a brief gunfight outside the Israeli consulate in Istanbul on Tuesday, according to Turkish authorities. Two police officers sustained minor injuries during the exchange. Governor Davut Gul confirmed that one of the assailants was killed during the incident, which occurred around 12:15 p.m. local time (9:15 a.m. GMT).

It remains unclear whether the Israeli consulate was the specific target. A source familiar with the situation told AFP that no Israeli diplomats are currently present in Turkey. Following the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas on Israeli territory, Israeli diplomatic missions in Turkey and across the region were evacuated for security reasons, the source added.

Israel stated it would not be intimidated by such threats, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemning the attack as “treacherous” and pledging to combat all forms of terrorism. Erdogan emphasized, “We will not allow provocations to compromise Turkey’s security environment,” during a televised address.

A police officer remains alert near the scene, with authorities and witnesses describing a scene of chaos. An eyewitness, who chose to remain anonymous, recounted witnessing gunfire that lasted for some time, observing a police officer collapse and widespread panic among the crowd.

Turkish officials have not officially identified the group behind the attack, but local media speculate it could be linked to ISIS, especially after clashes between militants and police in Yalova—a region near the Sea of Marmara about 55 miles southeast of Istanbul—where three officers were killed and nine wounded in December.

Following the Yalova incident, Turkish authorities increased their efforts by executing broader raids that led to the detention of 125 suspects. Witnesses described seeing police opening fire in a busy district, with an injured individual being carried away on a stretcher. The entire gunfight reportedly lasted approximately ten minutes, with heavy police presence at the Levent business district where the consulate is situated.

The area around the consulate is regularly secured by police, with barriers in place even under normal conditions. Istanbul’s prosecutors have launched an investigation, and reports indicate that three suspects have been detained.

The United States strongly condemned the attack. Ambassador Tom Barrack expressed deep displeasure, stating, “Attacks on diplomatic missions are attacks on the international order and the principles that unite nations.” He also praised Turkish security forces for their swift response.

Historically, ISIS has carried out lethal attacks in Turkey, including the 2017 nightclub massacre in Istanbul that resulted in 39 deaths.