Turkey has announced the suspension of all trade with Israel, citing the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza as the reason behind the move.
The Turkish trade ministry declared that the suspension would remain in effect until Israel permitted an “uninterrupted and sufficient flow” of aid into Gaza. This decision comes amid escalating tensions over Israel’s offensive in the region.
Last year, trade between Turkey and Israel amounted to nearly $7 billion.
However, following Turkey’s announcement, Israel’s foreign minister accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of acting dictatorially and disregarding the interests of Turkish citizens and businesses.
In response to Turkey’s move, Israel stated that it would seek alternatives for trade, focusing on local production and imports from other countries.
The Turkish government has clarified that the trade suspension would apply to all products.
Tensions between Turkey and Israel have been strained for years, with diplomatic relations experiencing ups and downs. In 2010, Turkey severed ties with Israel after clashes between Israeli commandos and pro-Palestinian Turkish activists aboard a ship attempting to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza resulted in casualties.
Although diplomatic relations were restored in 2016, they soured again in 2018 when both countries expelled each other’s top diplomats over Israel’s handling of protests on the Gaza-Israel border.
The recent escalation in tensions between Turkey and Israel follows the deadly Hamas attack on Israel in October last year. Since then, Turkey has intensified its criticism of Israel, with President Erdogan likening Israel’s actions to genocide.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has drawn international attention, with the United Nations warning of imminent famine and catastrophic hunger.
The US military has announced plans to open a pier to facilitate aid delivery into Gaza, but the UN insists that land routes remain the most effective means of delivering essential supplies.
Efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas are ongoing, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging both parties to agree to a deal. However, a resolution has yet to be reached, as Hamas considers the latest proposal involving a ceasefire and the release of hostages.
Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi
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