Gunmen Attack Building Housing Israeli Consulate in Istanbul; One Assailant Killed, Two Wounded in Police Gunfight
Three gunmen opened fire outside the building housing the Israeli consulate in Istanbul in a shootout with police that left one attacker dead and two wounded—later identified by authorities as brothers Onur C. and Enes C., one with a prior drug record—while two officers suffered slight leg and ear wounds. Video shows an assailant with what appears to be an assault rifle taking cover behind a bus as an officer falls, Turkish officials called the attackers “terrorists” and say one is linked to a group “exploiting religion,” Justice Minister Akin Gurlek has assigned three prosecutors, and Israel’s Foreign Ministry and U.S. officials condemned the attack amid regional concern.
📌 Key Facts
- One assailant was killed and two others were wounded in a police gunfight outside the building housing the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul.
- Turkish authorities identified the two surviving assailants as brothers, Onur C. and Enes C.; one brother has a prior drug‑related criminal record.
- Two police officers were slightly wounded — one in the leg and one in the ear — according to Turkish authorities.
- Turkish officials said one assailant is linked to a group described as "exploiting religion," but did not name any specific organization.
- Video from the scene shows an assailant carrying what appears to be an assault rifle and a brown backpack taking cover behind a bus and exchanging fire; a police officer is seen falling and then rolling behind a tree for cover.
- Justice Minister Akin Gurlek assigned three prosecutors, including a deputy chief prosecutor, to lead the investigation.
- Israel’s Foreign Ministry condemned the attack and praised Turkish security forces; the U.S. ambassador also issued a statement, and Turkish officials and regional observers warned the incident raises broader regional concerns.
📊 Relevant Data
In a March 2025 nationwide survey of Turkish youth aged 18-27, 53.1% attributed complete guilt to Israel in the Gaza conflict, 18.0% said both sides were guilty but Israel more so, and only 1.1% said Hamas was completely guilty.
Türkiye's Youth Perspectives on the War on Gaza — Middle East Council on Global Affairs
Anti-Israel sentiment among Turkish youth varies by ideological group: religious/conservative youth frame the Gaza conflict theologically as an affront to Islamic identity, secular youth focus on humanitarian and legal violations, nationalists use a historical/Ottoman lens, Kurds draw parallels to their own statelessness, and leftists critique it as structural imperialism and capitalism.
Türkiye's Youth Perspectives on the War on Gaza — Middle East Council on Global Affairs
In a 2025 Pew Research Center survey, 93% of adults in Turkey held unfavorable views of Israel, the highest rate among 24 countries surveyed.
93% of Turks hold negative views of Israel, highest among surveyed nations — Turkiye Today
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- CBS confirms the incident as a 'shootout outside the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul' and reiterates that one suspect was killed and two police officers were injured.
- Turkish officials are cited by CBS as the source for the casualty figures, reinforcing earlier wire reports.
- CBS frames the event explicitly as raising regional concerns, indicating that Turkish officials and regional observers see the incident in the context of broader regional instability.
- AP piece confirms the two surviving assailants are brothers, identified as Onur C. and Enes C., with one having a prior drug‑related criminal record.
- Turkish authorities state that one assailant is linked to a group "exploiting religion," though no specific organization is named.
- Interior Ministry details that one officer was wounded in the leg and the other in the ear, while describing both injuries as slight.
- Video details: an assailant, carrying what appears to be an assault rifle and a brown backpack, is seen hiding behind a bus and exchanging fire; a police officer falls, then rolls behind a tree for cover.
- Justice Minister Akin Gurlek has assigned three prosecutors, including a deputy chief prosecutor, to lead the investigation.
- Israel’s Foreign Ministry publicly denounced the attack and praised Turkish security forces for their swift action, in addition to the previously noted statement from U.S. Ambassador Tom Barrack.