Turkey halts all trade with Israel due to military actions in Gaza

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey suspended all imports and exports to Israel on Thursday, citing the country’s ongoing military action in Gaza, and vowed to continue imposing the measures until the Israeli government cuts the flow of humanitarian aid to the region allows.

A statement from the Turkish Ministry of Commerce said that “export and import transactions related to Israel have been halted and affect all products.”

Turkish officials would work with Palestinian authorities to ensure that Palestinians are not affected by the suspension of imports and exports, the ministry said.

The ministry described the move as the “second phase” of measures against Israel, adding that the steps would remain in effect until Israel “allows an uninterrupted and sufficient flow of humanitarian assistance to Gaza.”

Last month, Turkey – a staunch critic of Israel’s military actions – announced it would restrict exports of 54 types of products to Israel, including aluminum, steel, construction products and chemical fertilizers. Israel responded by also announcing trade barriers.

Earlier on Thursday, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz accused Turkey of blocking Israeli imports and exports from Turkish ports.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan “is breaking agreements by blocking ports for Israeli imports and exports,” Katz wrote on the social platform X.

Katz said he had instructed officials to “immediately engage with all relevant parties in the government to create alternatives to trade with Turkey, focusing on local production and imports from other countries.”

Erdogan’s government, which suffered major setbacks in local elections in March, is facing intense pressure at home to halt trade with Israel. Critics accuse the government of double standards by making strong accusations against Israel while continuing commercial ties.

Turkey recognized Israel in 1949. Under Erdogan, tensions between the countries have gone up and down. The Turkish leader stepped up his criticism of Israel after the military offensive in Gaza, accusing the country of war crimes and genocide. He has described the militant group Hamas, which is considered a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States and the European Union, as freedom fighters.

This week, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Turkey has decided to join South Africa’s lawsuit against Israel at the International Court of Justice and will soon submit a formal request to intervene in the case.

South Africa filed a case with the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of violating the Genocide Convention with its military offensive against Hamas. Israel denies that its military campaign in Gaza amounts to a violation of the Genocide Convention.