Gunmen Attack Israeli Consulate in Istanbul: One Assailant Killed and Two Captured

Three gunmen attacked the area near the Israeli consulate building in Istanbul on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, leaving one attacker dead and two others wounded and in custody after a shootout with Turkish police. Istanbul Governor Davut Gül confirmed that only one attacker had been killed, correcting earlier media reports that had cited three fatalities. Two police officers sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the exchange of fire, one shot in the leg and one in the ear, according to Turkey's Interior Ministry. The incident unfolded in the Beşiktaş area of Istanbul, in the city's main business district, in broad daylight. Video circulated on social media appeared to capture the moment one armed attacker was shot by police and fell to the ground, while a Reuters video showed a police officer drawing a weapon and taking cover as gunshots rang out.

Attacker identified as linked to group exploiting religion Turkey's Interior Ministry identified the killed attacker as Yunus E.S. and stated he was "connected to the terrorist organisation that exploits religion," a phrase understood to refer to the Islamic State group, though no organization claimed responsibility for the attack as of Tuesday afternoon. The two wounded attackers, identified as brothers Onur Ç and Enes Ç, were taken into custody and were being interrogated by police. Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi stated on the social media platform X that the three men had traveled to Istanbul from the nearby city of Izmit in a rental vehicle. Çiftçi also noted that one of the brothers had a prior criminal record related to drugs. Governor Gül described the assault as "a move that smells of provocation," according to Politico. The Interior Ministry added that intensive digital communications had been detected among the three individuals involved in the attack.

Consulate closed for 2.5 years, no Israeli staff present Governor Davut Gül confirmed that the Israeli consulate building in Istanbul has been closed for approximately two and a half years, and no Israeli diplomatic personnel were present at the time of the attack. An unnamed source cited by AFP stated that there are "no Israeli diplomats on Turkish soil right now," explaining that Israeli diplomatic staff had been evacuated not only from Turkey but across the entire region following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The attackers were armed with rifles, described as long-barreled weapons, and pistols, according to Governor Gül. A strong armed police presence is permanently maintained in the vicinity of the consulate building, Reuters reported. A witness at the scene told Reuters that the sound of gunfire was "loud" and continued to increase "for 15-20 minutes," though the Interior Ministry described the overall engagement as lasting approximately five minutes according to Turkish broadcaster NTV.

The Israeli consulate in Istanbul has been closed since late 2023, when Israeli diplomatic staff were withdrawn from Turkey and the broader region following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which triggered the Gaza conflict. Turkey and Israel have had a complex and at times turbulent diplomatic relationship over the decades, with periods of close cooperation followed by sharp deteriorations, particularly around events in Gaza. A strong police presence has been maintained around the consulate building in Istanbul's Beşiktaş district even during the period of its closure.

Justice minister opens probe, U.S. ambassador condemns attack Justice Minister Akın Gürlek announced that the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office had opened an investigation into the attack. U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack condemned the assault in a post on X, stating that Washington "condemns in the strongest terms" the attack on the diplomatic mission. „an attack on the international order” — Tom Barrack via Politico Barrack also praised Turkish security forces for their response to the incident. The swift reaction from American officials underlined the international dimension of an attack targeting a diplomatic facility, even one that had been closed and unstaffed for over two years. Turkish authorities continued interrogating the two detained brothers as of Tuesday afternoon, with the Interior Ministry noting that digital communications among all three attackers were under active analysis.