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Turkey mentioned on Tuesday it might prohibit exports to Israel till a ceasefire in Gaza is reached, threatening a tit-for-tat response from the federal government with which it has lengthy had strained relations.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has defended Hamas and attacked Israel over the battle in Gaza, accusing it of intentionally attacking civilians. However his authorities had till Tuesday refused to take concrete financial steps towards Israel over the battle.
Turkey's commerce ministry mentioned it was imposing sanctions on dozens of exports – together with aluminium, metal merchandise, cement and jet gasoline – after Israel rejected the Turkish authorities's request to ship humanitarian assist to Gaza.
“This determination will stay in impact till Israel declares a ceasefire in Gaza and permits the movement of uninterrupted assist to the Gaza Strip in substantial portions,” the ministry mentioned in an announcement.
The announcement drew an indignant response from Israel's international minister, who accused Mr Erdogan of “sacrificing the financial pursuits” of the Turkish individuals within the identify of supporting Hamas.
“Israel won’t bow to violence and blackmail and won’t flip a blind eye to unilateral violations of commerce agreements and parallel measures towards Turkey that may hurt the Turkish financial system,” Minister Israel Katz mentioned in an announcement.
In keeping with official figures, Turkish exports to Israel totaled $5.4 billion in 2023.
Turkey has lengthy had turbulent relations with Israel, though latest years have proven some indicators of a thaw: in 2022, Turkey welcomed the President of Israel to Ankara, the primary such go to to an Israeli head of state since 2008. It was the primary journey. Mr Erdogan met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel for the primary time final September.
Lower than a month after that assembly, Hamas led an October 7 assault on Israel that began the battle in Gaza.
Below Mr Erdogan, Turkey has continuously hosted members of Hamas, a few of whose leaders have been within the nation for conferences on October 7. The Turkish chief has strongly criticized Israel's bombing of Gaza, placing him at sharp odds along with his NATO allies.
However rising deaths and a extreme humanitarian disaster in Gaza have led to elevated criticism from Israel's allies over how the battle is being run.
President Biden threatened final week that he would situation future US assist for Israel on the way it addresses his issues about civilian casualties and the humanitarian disaster. This week, France's international minister advised French information media that imposing sanctions may very well be a technique to put extra stress on Israel to open humanitarian corridors to Gaza.
gabby sobelman Contributed to the reporting.