3 gunmen open fire outside Israeli consulate in Istanbul, dubbed ‘terrorists’by Turkish official

A plainclothes police officer holds a gun after gunfire was reported near the building housing the Israeli consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on April 7, 2026.(Murad Sezer/Reuters)

U.S.Ambassador to TurkeyTom Barrack condemned the attack and praised Turkish authorities.

“The United States condemns in the strongest terms today’s attack on the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul,” Barrack wrote on X.“Attacks on diplomatic missions are attacks on the international order — and an assault on the principles that bind nations together.We commend Türkiye and Turkish security forces for their swift and decisive response.”

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Police officers pulled out guns and took cover as shots rang out for at least 10 minutes near a permanent security checkpoint near the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul.One person was seen covered in blood amid the glass towers in the heart of the city’s main financial district.

Footage obtained by Reuters showed an apparent attacker, in a dark top and carrying a backpack, moving among parked whitepolice and security busesand firing with an automatic rifle and a handgun.

Two bodies lay on nearby streets and parking areas, near grassy areas.

Turkish Police special forces stand guard near the Israeli Consulate building in Istanbul, Turkey, after gunfire was reported on April 7, 2026.(Umit Bektas/Reuters)

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Two police officers were lightly wounded in the attack, Istanbul Governor Davut Gul told reporters at the scene.

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He said there had been noIsraeli diplomatic staffat the consulate for 2-1/2 years, since the Hamas-Israel war began in 2023, leading to a deep chill in Turkish-Israeli diplomatic ties.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed there were no staff at the consulate at the time of the shootings.

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The incident occurred next to a major motorway just after midday, immediately outside the tower where the Israeli Consulate is located.The gunfire echoed inside nearby bank headquarters, where thousands of workers were breaking for lunch.

Turkey, a fierce critic of Israel’s military operations in Gaza, had recalled its ambassador from Israel in November 2023 anddiplomatic relationshave been effectively frozen since then.

Turkish Police special forces walk near the building housing the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, after gunfire was heard on April 7, 2026.(Murad Sezer/Reuters)

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At the same time that year, Israeli diplomats left Turkey due tosecurity concernsafter pro-Palestinian protests erupted across the country and in front of the consulate.Since then, a heavily armed police presence has been maintained in the area near the consulate.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.