Turkey severs trade ties, closes airspace for Israel. Here’s why

The announcement comes amid ongoing debates in Ankara over Turkey’s position on the conflict in Gaza.

Updated: August 29, 2025 08:09 PM IST

2 min read

Turkey has stopped all trade with Israel and closed its airspace to Israeli aircraft. (File Photo)

Turkey has stopped Israeli planes from using its airspace and has ended trade with Israel, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told parliament on Friday. The move comes as Ankara steps up its response to the war in Gaza.

Why has Turkey taken this step?

Fidan told lawmakers during a special debate on Gaza that the measures were part of Turkey’s stance on the conflict. He said, as reported by the Associated Press (AP):

“We have completely cut off our trade with Israel. We do not allow Turkish ships to go to Israeli ports. We do not allow their planes to enter our airspace.”

What has already changed in trade?

Turkey had already cut direct trade ties with Israel in May 2024, demanding a permanent ceasefire and humanitarian aid for Gaza. According to AP, the two countries traded goods worth around $7 billion in 2023.

Reports in Turkish media last week said that Israeli ships were being turned away from Turkish ports and that Turkish-flagged vessels were barred from docking in Israel. These reports were not confirmed by officials until Fidan’s statement.

How has Turkey responded before?

Ankara has frequently criticised Israel’s actions in Gaza. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called them genocide and compared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler.

In November 2024, Turkish authorities blocked Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s aircraft from flying over Turkey on the way to a summit in Azerbaijan. Erdogan later commented:

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“As Turkey, we have to take a stance on certain issues.”

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