Turkey continues trade with Israel despite 'Gaza' sanctions, official data shows

Trade between Turkey and Israel continued in April despite Ankara's decision to halt all trade with Israel due to the humanitarian crisis caused by the Gaza war, according to Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) data.

During April, Turkey exported goods worth $298,116,403 to Israel, while imports from Israel were valued at $88,733,352.

On April 9, the Ministry of Trade imposed export restrictions on 54 product groups to Israel, demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and uninterrupted humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. The restrictions were intensified on May 2, with the announcement that all trade would be suspended until the Israeli government allowed a continuous and sufficient flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Despite these restrictions, exports of products such as iron, steel, cement, various building materials, and electrical cables to Israel continued.

According to TurkStat, some of the product groups exported to Israel in April included:

• Salt, sulfur, earth, and stones; plasters, lime, and cement: $6,568,445
• Plastics and products thereof: $25,235,909
• Iron and steel: $12,955,156
• Articles of iron or steel: $5,697,011
• Copper and articles thereof: $5,154,563
• Aluminum and articles thereof: $3,909,545
• Boilers, machinery, mechanical devices and tools, nuclear reactors, and their parts: $14,412,308
• Motor vehicles, tractors, bicycles, motorcycles, and other land vehicles, including their parts and accessories: $66,088,179

In the first four months of 2024, the trade volume between Israel and Turkey reached $1.82 billion, with the following monthly breakdown:

• January 2024: $318,770,367 (Exports) - $89,181,637 (Imports)
• February 2024: $395,067,831 (Exports) - $102,598,928 (Imports)
• March 2024: $409,894,256 (Exports) - $126,909,757 (Imports)
• April 2024: $298,116,403 (Exports) - $88,733,352 (Imports)
• Total for four months: $1,421,848,857 (Exports) - $407,423,674 (Imports) (VC/VK)