Turkey announced a series of new measures against Israel on Friday amid the ongoing war in Gaza. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told parliament that Ankara was now banning Israeli ships from accessing its ports, and reciprocally, Turkish ships from using Israeli ports. Targeted restrictions were also imposed on certain aircraft entering Turkish airspace.
These announcements formalize measures already partially implemented in recent weeks. Maritime sources had indicated that Turkish port authorities were now requiring shipping agents to provide letters guaranteeing that ships had no ties to Israel and were not carrying military or dangerous cargo bound for the country.
"We have completely cut off our trade with Israel, we have closed our ports to Israeli ships and we do not allow Turkish ships to visit Israeli ports," Fidan said, justifying this decision by the scale of the Israeli attacks on Gaza.
Turkey accuses Israel of committing genocide in the Palestinian enclave, an accusation rejected by Tel Aviv. Ankara has already suspended all trade with Israel and is calling on the international community to take firm action, urging major powers to end their support for Benjamin Netanyahu's government.
These restrictions reinforce Israel's diplomatic and economic isolation in the region, while confirming Turkey's alignment with an increasingly hard line in the Gaza conflict. They also illustrate Ankara's willingness to use its economic and strategic leverage to increase international pressure.
