Turkey halts all trade with Israel over military actions in Gaza

Turkey has announced that it is suspending all imports and exports to Israel over its ongoing military action in Gaza. A staunch critic of Israel, Ankara vowed on Thursday to continue to impose other measures until the Israeli government allows the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza. A Trade Ministry statement said however, that Turkish officials would coordinate with Palestinian authorities to ensure that Palestinians are not affected by the suspension of trade. Erdogan’s government, which suffered major setbacks in local elections in March, is faced with intense pressure at home to halt trade with Israel. Critics accuse the government of engaging in double standards by leveling strong accusations against Israel while pressing ahead with commercial relations.