President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey recently met with Hamas officials in Istanbul, further straining relations between Turkey and Israel. This meeting comes as Turkey announced a halt in all trade with Israel until “uninterrupted and adequate humanitarian aid is allowed into Gaza.”
The Trade Ministry of Turkey stated that exports and imports for all products would pause until Israel’s bombardment of Gaza stops. This move was met with criticism from Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, who accused President Erdogan of behaving like a dictator and disregarding the interests of the Turkish people and businessmen.
Turkey reported $5.4 billion in exports to Israel in 2023 and $1.64 billion in imports, according to United Nations figures. President Erdogan has been vocal in his criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza, defending Hamas and meeting with its political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, and other officials in Istanbul.
This decision to halt trade with Israel follows export restrictions imposed on Israel earlier in April and is seen as a further escalation in the ongoing conflict. The Turkish foreign minister also announced that Turkey would join South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
The situation between Turkey and Israel continues to deteriorate, with President Erdogan taking a strong stance in support of Palestine and Hamas. The impact of this trade halt on both countries remains to be seen as tensions in the region remain high.
