Israel–Turkey relations

Turkey has suspended all exports and imports with Israel as of Tursday, according to two Turkish officials briefed on the matter, as reported by Bloomberg. Official statements from Turkey are pending.

The already difficult US-Turkey relationship has entered an even more delicate phase with the cancellation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to Washington. 

A humanitarian aid flotilla destined for Gaza was halted after Guinea Bissau decided to remove its flag from two vessels, activist group Freedom Flotilla Coalition said on Saturday.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said Türkiye has severed and is further cutting off commercial relations with Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli leadership are solely responsible for the recent escalation of tensions in the Middle East, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday.

"Israel is trying to provoke a regional conflict, and its attack on Iran's embassy in Damascus  was the last drop," he told a press conference in Ankara after a cabinet meeting.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has issued a call to the global community to condemn the Israeli bombardment of hospitals, schools, mosques and churches in the besieged Gaza Strip.

"Humanity must prevent further violations of international law in Gaza," Erdoğan said in a letter to Pope Francis on April 13, emphasizing that civilians should never be targeted in times of war.

Rich Goldberg, a senior advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies with a deep expertise in sanctions policy who previously served on the White House NSC, joins Thanos Davelis to look at why we need to be paying attention to this new flotilla set to depart Turkey for Gaza, which has the potential to spark a diplomatic crisis.

Turkey and Israel announced trade barriers on each other Tuesday as relations deteriorated further amid the war in Gaza.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday called for increased international pressure on Israel to ensure more humanitarian aid is allowed into Gaza, and said Ankara will increase its support during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

A spokesperson for the Turkish Foreign Ministry has responded to recent statements made by Israeli officials against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, accusing them of attempting to shift the focus away from their country's actions in Gaza.