ISTANBUL — Türkiye said late Thursday that it had halted all trade with Israel until “uninterrupted and adequate humanitarian aid is allowed into Gaza,” signaling further deterioration in relations between the two countries.
Türkiye’s Trade Ministry said in a statement that exports and imports “for all products” would pause.
Türkiye reported $5.4 billion in exports to Israel in 2023 and $1.64 billion in imports, according to United Nations figures.
Erdogan did not comment publicly on any changes in Türkiye’s trade ties with Israel. But the Turkish leader has strongly criticized Israel’s bombardment of the Gaza Strip.
The decision by Türkiye to halt trade came after its Trade Ministry imposed export restrictions on Israel on April 9 in 54 product groups, including cement and jet fuel, and said they would remain in force until “Israel declares an immediate cease-fire in Gaza.”
The Trade Ministry defined Thursday’s suspension as “the second step in intergovernmental measures” and cited “worsening humanitarian tragedy in Palestine.”
The Turkish foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, also announced Wednesday that Türkiye would join South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. In a preliminary decision in January, the court ordered Israel to ensure that its forces were not committing genocide in Gaza.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
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