Turkey Cuts All Trade Ties with Israel, Blocks Airspace and Ports
On August 29, 2025, Turkey announced a complete halt in trade and transport ties with Israel, escalating its protest against the ongoing war in Gaza.
At a special session of the Turkish Parliament, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan declared that Israel has been committing genocide in Gaza for nearly two years and that Ankara could no longer remain silent.
“We have fully cut off our trade with Israel. Their ships cannot enter our ports, and their planes are not allowed in our airspace,” Fidan said.
Key Restrictions:
Ports Closed: Israeli ships are banned from docking in Turkey, while Turkish-flagged ships cannot enter Israeli harbors.
Airspace Ban: Israeli planes, especially those carrying weapons or officials, are blocked from Turkish skies.
Trade Frozen: In 2023, the two nations conducted nearly $7 billion in trade, but Turkey had already suspended direct commerce in May 2024, demanding a ceasefire and humanitarian aid access to Gaza.
This move highlights worsening relations, which soured as far back as 2010 after Israel’s deadly raid on a Gaza-bound Turkish aid flotilla. Tensions intensified after a Turkish-American activist was killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank in 2024.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has repeatedly called Israel’s actions genocide, even comparing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler.
Analysts say Turkey now views Israel as not only a humanitarian concern but also a national security threat, with fears of a possible military clash if the conflict spreads further in the region.
The ban also increases Israel’s diplomatic isolation, as more countries and companies reduce ties, leaving many Israelis feeling cut off from the international community.