Turkish, Palestinian ministers discuss Türkiye's export restrictions on Israel

By Mertkan Oruc

Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat and Palestine's Economy Minister Mohammed Alamour on Tuesday spoke over the phone and discussed Türkiye's decision to restrict exports of certain goods to Israel.

"Our main goal (with this decision) is to ensure that Israel changes its intransigent stance on the cease-fire and allowing humanitarian aid convoys," Bolat told Anadolu.

Bolat said that he told Alamour that the restriction would remain in effect until Israel accepts a permanent cease-fire and allows humanitarian aid convoys to enter Gaza.

Türkiye's efforts will continue at the highest level to defend the rights of its "innocent" brothers and sisters in Gaza, the minister stated.

Earlier on Tuesday, Türkiye restricted exports of certain products to Israel until it implements a cease-fire and allows a “sufficient and uninterrupted flow" of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

“Israel continues to flagrantly violate international law and ignores the international community's numerous calls for cease-fire and uninterrupted humanitarian aid,” the Turkish Trade Ministry said in a statement.

Israel has killed more than 33,300 Palestinians since an Oct. 7 cross-border incursion by Palestinian group Hamas which claimed 1,200 lives.

Much of Gaza's infrastructure has since been destroyed, and 1.9 million of its residents forcibly displaced, leaving them at risk of disease and famine.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which in January issued an interim ruling that ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.