Turkey’s foreign minister said Friday that Ankara had closed its ports and airspace to Israeli ships and planes, with a diplomatic source clarifying that the ban applies to official flights.
“We have closed our ports to Israeli ships. We do not allow Turkish ships to go to Israeli ports. We do not allow container ships carrying weapons and ammunition to Israel to enter our ports, nor do we allow their aircraft to enter our airspace,” Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told lawmakers in a televised address.
A Turkish diplomatic source later explained that the airspace was closed to all aircraft carrying weapons to Israel as well as to Israel’s official flights. It was not immediately clear when the air restrictions were introduced.
In November Turkey refused to let the Israeli president’s plane cross its airspace, forcing him to cancel a planned trip to the COP29 climate conference in Azerbaijan. In May, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cancelled a visit to Baku after Ankara reportedly denied overflight rights.
Turkey has been one of the strongest critics of Israel’s actions in Gaza, accusing it of committing genocide in the Palestinian enclave. In May 2024 Ankara said it was suspending all trade with Israel until it allowed the unhindered delivery of aid.
On Monday Israeli shipping giant ZIM confirmed that Turkey had begun enforcing a new regulation adopted on August 22. The company said in a filing to the New York Stock Exchange that Turkish authorities informed it that vessels owned, managed or operated by entities linked to Israel would no longer be permitted to dock in Turkish ports.
The ban also applies to other vessels carrying military cargo to Israel. ZIM noted that Turkish-flagged ships are now prohibited from docking at Israeli ports.
Fidan’s remarks Friday marked the first public acknowledgement of the restrictions.
Hamas urges more sanctions against Israel like Turkey’s
Palestinian group Hamas on Friday called on governments worldwide to escalate punitive measures against Israel after Turkey’s announcement.
“We urge Turkey, as well as Arab and Islamic countries and the free nations of the world, to escalate punitive measures against” Israel, Hamas said in a statement.
The group urged countries to sever all relations with Israel and work to isolate it “so as to compel it to halt the genocide and destruction of Gaza.”
© Agence France-Presse