According to CCTV News, Turkish President Erdogan announced on the 13th that Turkey has severed ties with Israel and will not take any steps to continue or develop bilateral relations in the future.

According to reports from Russian news agency TASS and U.S. Newsweek on the 13th, Turkish President Erdogan responded to questions regarding Turkey-Israel trade relations, stating that Turkey has cut off its relationship with Israel.

The report quoted Erdogan as saying, "As the Republic of Turkey and its government, we have severed our relationship with Israel. At present, we have no relations with Israel. That’s it."

  Turkey suspends all trade with Israel  

In May of this year, Turkey announced the suspension of all import and export trade with Israel, citing Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip, which have exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in the region.

According to a statement from the Turkish Ministry of Trade, Turkey suspended the export of 54 types of goods to Israel on April 9th as part of its first phase of measures, in response to the ongoing humanitarian disaster and destruction of local facilities caused by Israel’s actions in Gaza. As Israel did not cease its operations in the region, the humanitarian situation continued to worsen, prompting Turkey to initiate the second phase of its measures.

As a result, Turkey decided to suspend all trade activities with Israel.

According to data from the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics, in 2023, Israel’s exports to Turkey were valued at $1.57 billion, while imports from Turkey totaled $4.61 billion. Turkey is Israel's fifth-largest import partner and ninth-largest export partner.

Turkish-Israeli relations have fluctuated over the past decade. In August 2022, the two countries restored diplomatic relations and exchanged ambassadors. However, relations deteriorated once again after the outbreak of the latest Israeli-Palestinian conflict on October 7, 2023.

As Israel's military actions in Gaza escalated, the Turkish government repeatedly condemned Israel. In November of the previous year, Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the recall of its ambassador to Israel, citing Israel's continued attacks on Palestinian civilians and the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza.

On October 12, 2023, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan once again criticized Israel for initiating "genocide" in Gaza, calling it a disgrace to human history. He also stated that "Palestine and Lebanon will eventually be free." Erdoğan described Israel as a threat to peace in both the Middle East and the world, declaring that "this threat must be eliminated, and those responsible for protecting world peace must ensure peace."

  Several Countries Sever Diplomatic Ties with Israel  

Since the outbreak of the latest round of the Israel-Palestine conflict in October of last year, several countries have announced the severing of diplomatic ties with Israel.

On October 11, Nicaragua issued a statement announcing the severance of diplomatic relations with Israel.

On October 31, 2023, Bolivia declared the severing of diplomatic relations with Israel, while Chile announced the recall of its ambassador to Israel.

In May 2024, Colombia also announced the severing of diplomatic ties with Israel.

Additionally, Belize has announced the severance of diplomatic ties with Israel, and the South African parliament has called for the same. Bahrain recalled its ambassador to Israel and suspended economic relations with the country.