Turkey has stopped all trade activity with Israel over violence against Palestinians in Gaza, the Trade Ministry said on May 2.
“Exports and imports to and from Israel have been suspended,” the trade ministry said in a statement, adding: “Türkiye will apply these new measures… until the Israeli government authorizes an uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.”
The ministry said necessary efforts are being coordinated between the Turkish Trade Ministry and the Palestinian Ministry of National Economy to ensure that the Palestinians “who are forced to live under occupation” are not affected by these restrictions.
“The Republic of Türkiye will continue to support the deserving cause of our Palestinian brothers and sisters, as it has done until today,” it added.
Turkey’s trade ministry first announced restrictions on exports to Israel in early April, stopping the export of iron and steel products and construction equipment. The two countries had a trade volume of $6.8bn in 2023.
Israel’s foreign minister, Israel Katz, accused Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, of acting like a “dictator” after the restrictions were first reported.
Katz said Erdoğan was “breaking agreements by blocking ports for Israeli imports and exports”.
He said: “This is how a dictator behaves, disregarding the interests of the Turkish people and businessmen, and ignoring international trade agreements.”
Turkey blasts Israel over Gaza
Turkey is among the harshest critics of Israel‘s military actions, with Erdoğan branding Israel a “terrorist state,” repeatedly calling for an immediate cease-fire, and accusing it of committing genocide in its military campaign in the Palestinian enclave.
In January, he said the military offensive that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched in response was “not any less than what Hitler did”.
Netanyahu responded: “Erdogan, who commits genocide against the Kurds, who holds a world record for imprisoning journalists who oppose his rule, is the last person who can preach morality to us.”
Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza to destroy Hamas in response to the group’s attack on southern Israel on 7 October, during which about 1,200 people were killed and 253 others were taken hostage.
More than 34,500 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.
On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Israel and Hamas that “the time is now” for a deal to bring about a ceasefire in Gaza and free the remaining hostages held there. He said a deal was on the table and Hamas should agree to it.
Mediators are awaiting a response from Hamas to the latest proposal.
It reportedly involves a 40-day ceasefire and the release of more than 30 Israeli hostages in exchange for many more Palestinian prisoners.
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