ANKARA, August 29, 2025 — In a dramatic escalation, Turkey has completely severed trade and economic ties with Israel, alongside banning Israeli-linked ships and aircraft from its ports and airspace.
“We have totally cut our trade with Israel, we have closed off our ports to Israeli ships and we are not allowing Turkish vessels to go to Israel’s ports,” Fidan told an extraordinary parliamentary session on Israel’s attacks on Gaza.https://t.co/7CboNchsVY
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) August 29, 2025
Key Highlights of the Announcement
- Official Declaration: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced the measures during a special parliamentary session on the Gaza war, accusing Israel of committing “genocide in Gaza.”
- Airspace Ban: Turkey’s airspace has been closed to Israeli government flights and any planes carrying weapons or ammunition bound for Israel. Commercial transit flights not linked to weapons remain unaffected.
- Maritime Restrictions: Israeli vessels have been barred from docking in Turkish ports, while Turkish-flagged ships are prohibited from entering Israeli harbors. The ban also extends to any ship carrying military or hazardous cargo for Israel.
- Formalized Trade Break: While Turkey had already suspended direct trade in May 2024, the new sanctions expand restrictions to air and maritime traffic, making the severance complete.
- Symbolic Leadership: The move reflects Turkey’s effort to lead the global opposition to Israel’s war on Gaza, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan frequently condemning Israeli actions and drawing parallels with Nazi crimes.
The sanctions come amid growing international outrage over Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, which has drawn condemnation from across the Muslim world and beyond. Turkey’s actions mark one of the strongest state-level responses so far, aimed at increasing diplomatic and economic pressure on Tel Aviv.
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