Turkey announced new restrictions on exports to Israel on Tuesday after Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan accused Israel of denying a request to airdrop aid to Gaza.
The Ministry of Trade slapped a ban on the export of 54 items, particularly products that could be used for military or construction purposes. In the statement, the ministry condemned Israel’s prevention of access to “the most basic food, medical care and supplies” for the people of Gaza.
“This decision will remain in effect until Israel, within the framework of its obligations arising from international law, declares an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and allows a sufficient and uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip,” the statement said.
Among the specified items listed in the statement were steel and aluminium materials, cement, electrical cables and construction and metal working machinery. Speaking at a news conference in Ankara late Monday, Fidan said Turkey was taking “a series of new measures against Israel” after Israel denied its request to join the Jordanian aid operation.
“Today we learned that our request, which was welcomed by the Jordanian authorities, was rejected by Israel,” Fidan said. “There is no excuse for Israel to block our attempt to airlift aid to starving Gazans,” the foreign minister continued.
Key context: Turkey is among the top two countries delivering aid to Gaza, alongside the United Arab Emirates (UAE).