ANKARA: Turkiye will impose restrictions on the export of products from 54 different categories to Israel until a ceasefire is declared in Gaza, the Turkish Trade Ministry said on Tuesday, adding the measures would take effect immediately.
In a statement following Ankara’s announcement that it would be taking measures after Israel rejected its request to take part in an aid air-drop, the ministry said the restrictions would include iron and steel products, construction equipment and products, machines and more.
Israel vowed Tuesday to take steps against Turkiye, accusing it of violating trade deals between the two countries after Ankara announced trade restrictions over the war in Gaza.
“Turkiye is unilaterally violating the trade agreements with Israel, and Israel will adopt the necessary steps against it,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Foreign Minister Israel Katz sharply criticized Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the decision.
“Erdogan has sacrificed the economic interest of Turkiye’s people for the sake of his support of Hamas murders in Gaza,” Katz said on X.
“Israel will not submit to violence and extortion... and will adopt against Turkiye similar steps that will harm the Turkish economy.”
Israel is now preparing an “expanded list of products” it intends to stop importing from Turkiye, the ministry said, including construction materials like steel and cement.
French foreign minister suggests sanctions to get aid into Gaza
France’s foreign minister said on Tuesday that pressure, and possibly sanctions, must be imposed on Israel to open crossings to get humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza.
“There must be levers of influence and there are multiple levers, going up to sanctions to let humanitarian aid cross check points,” Stephane Sejourne told RFI radio and France 24 television
“France was one of the first countries to propose European Union sanctions on Israeli settlers who are committing acts of violence in the West Bank. We will continue if needed to obtain the opening of humanitarian aid,” he said.
Some 33,207 Palestinians have been killed in six months of conflict, Gaza’s health ministry said on Monday. Most of the enclave’s 2.3 million people are homeless and many at risk of famine.
Hamas killed 1,200 people in southern Israel in a cross-border attack on Oct. 7 that triggered the conflict, according to Israeli tallies.
