Turkey suspends commerce with Israel over ‘humanitarian tragedy’ in Gaza

Turkey has suspended all commerce with Israel due to the “worsening humanitarian tragedy” unfolding in Gaza, the nation’s commerce ministry mentioned on Thursday.

“Export and import transactions associated to Israel have been stopped, protecting all merchandise,” the ministry mentioned.

“Turkey will strictly and decisively implement these new measures till the Israeli authorities permits an uninterrupted and ample circulation of humanitarian assist to Gaza.”

Commerce between Turkey and Israel was value virtually £5.6bn in 2023.

After the restrictions had been first reported, Israel’s overseas minister accused Turkey’s president of performing like a “dictator”.

Israel Katz wrote on X that Recep Tayyip Erdogan was “disregarding the pursuits of the Turkish individuals and businessmen and ignoring worldwide commerce agreements”.

Mr Katz added that he had directed the overseas ministry to work on growing alternate options for commerce with Turkey, emphasising native manufacturing and sourcing imports from completely different international locations.

Mr Katz has beforehand hit out at Mr Erdogan for publicising his assembly with the pinnacle of Hamas’s politburo. The Israeli minister shared a photograph on X displaying the Turkish president shaking arms with Ismail Haniyeh in Istanbul.

Turkey, a staunch critic of Israel’s conflict on Gaza, had restricted the export of 54 sorts of merchandise to Israel final month after Tel Aviv refused to let Ankara airdrop assist to Gaza’s ravenous Palestinian inhabitants.

Mr Erdogan mentioned on the time that Turkey not continued “intense commerce” with Israel. “That’s performed,” he added.

On Thursday, it was introduced that the nation had gone additional, stopping all commerce with Israel. “The Israeli authorities continues its aggressive angle, and the humanitarian tragedy in palestine is worsening,” it mentioned in a press release.

“Turkey will strictly and decisively implement the brand new measures till the Israeli authorities permits an uninterrupted and ample circulation of humanitarian assist to Gaza,” the assertion added.

Israel’s conflict on Gaza has killed greater than 34,000 individuals to date, in response to native officers, displacing virtually two million individuals and leaving a lot of the Palestinian enclave in ruins.

Further reporting with companies