Turkey has requested Interpol red notices against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as part of a domestic criminal investigation into an alleged violent raid on activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), a movement seeking to deliver aid to Gaza.

Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said on Friday that arrest warrants had been issued for Netanyahu and another Israeli, Afek Moskovitch, over the alleged attack on flotilla activists in international waters.

The Turkish Justice Ministry said the two are being prosecuted for alleged crimes including crimes against humanity, genocide, aggravated deprivation of liberty, intentional assault and battery, torture, destruction of property, aggravated looting and hijacking of transport vehicles.

In April, Israeli forces intercepted 22 boats carrying aid to Gaza in international waters near the Greek island of Crete.

The following month, about 50 vessels forming part of the GSF departed Turkey for Gaza. Israeli forces later detained activists aboard the flotilla in the Mediterranean and transferred them to an Israeli prison before they were expelled.

GSF organisers condemned the operation as “piracy”, arguing that the activists were unlawfully seized more than 965km (600 miles) from Gaza, which remains under an Israeli naval blockade.

Reacting to Turkey’s move, Netanyahu’s office dismissed the allegations, accusing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of hypocrisy and describing him as an “antisemitic dictator”.

The Israeli prime minister’s office also accused Erdogan of supporting Hamas and repressing his own people, adding that Israel would continue to oppose what it described as Turkey’s attempts to destabilise the region.

Erdogan has repeatedly accused Netanyahu of committing genocide in Gaza.

Turkey’s presidency, in response to the Israeli statement, described the remarks as “outrageous ravings” and accused Netanyahu of attempting to evade accountability.