CNN
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Turkey has halted all import and export transactions with Israel in protest over the battle in Gaza.
“All import and export transactions associated to Israel, together with all merchandise, have been stopped,” Turkey’s commerce ministry mentioned in an announcement Thursday. “Turkey will strictly and decisively implement these new measures till the Israeli authorities permits an uninterrupted and ample stream of humanitarian support to Gaza.”
A senior member of Israel’s authorities accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of breaking commerce agreements “by blocking ports for Israeli imports and exports.”
“That is how a dictator behaves, disregarding the pursuits of the Turkish folks and businessmen, and ignoring worldwide commerce agreements,” Israeli overseas minister Israel Katz posted on X Thursday.
Turkey-Israel commerce was price $7 billion final yr, in accordance with official information. Israel was among the many high 20 locations for Turkish exports, shopping for items and providers price $5.4 billion. In response to Reuters, high Turkish exports to Israel are metal, automobiles, plastics, electrical units and equipment.
In the meantime, Turkey’s imports from Israel amounted to $1.6 billion.
Katz added that he had ordered the director-general of Israel’s Ministry of International Affairs to “instantly interact with all related events within the authorities to create options for commerce with Turkey, specializing in native manufacturing and imports from different nations.”
“Israel will emerge with a powerful and daring financial system,” he wrote.
Thursday’s measures by Turkey comply with the introduction final month of restrictions on its exports to Israel after the Turkish overseas minister accused Israel of denying a request to airdrop support to Gaza.
In an announcement on the time, the commerce ministry condemned Israel’s actions stopping entry to “probably the most fundamental meals, medical care and provides” for the folks of Gaza and mentioned it had positioned a ban on the export of 54 merchandise, together with many who could possibly be used for army functions or development.
Turkey is likely one of the largest donors of support to Gaza, in accordance with Israel’s Coordinator of Authorities Actions within the Territories.
Israel launched a army assault on Gaza on October 7 after the militant group Hamas, which governs the territory, killed no less than 1,200 folks in Israel and kidnapped greater than 250 others. After greater than 200 days of battle, Israeli bombardment has turned neighborhoods into rubble, and the threat of starvation looms.
Israeli assaults in Gaza have killed greater than 34,600 Palestinians as of Might 1, in accordance with Gaza’s Ministry of Well being. Of these killed, about seven in 10 are ladies and kids, the ministry mentioned. CNN can’t independently verify the figures as a result of lack of worldwide media entry.