Trade volume between Türkiye, Israel drops 33% since Oct. 7
Türkiye-Israel trade plunges by nearly a third amid Israel's Gaza offensive, with Turkish firms scaling back transactions as goods bound for Palestine pass through Israeli checkpoints
Recent data from the Trade Ministry indicates a significant decline in trade between Türkiye and Israel since Israel's offensive in Gaza last year.
Between Oct. 7 and March 20 this year, the total trade volume between Türkiye and Israel dropped by almost 33%.
During this period, Türkiye's exports to Israel decreased by 30%, while imports saw a 43.4% decline.
Turkish individuals and businesses have been progressively canceling sales and orders with Israel, with trade primarily conducted through private firms, including some international entities, rather than state-run enterprises.
Goods bound for Palestine pass through Israeli checkpoints
Due to Palestine's lack of its own customs facilities, goods sent from Türkiye to Palestine typically pass through Israel and its customs checkpoints. Consequently, goods destined for Palestine are often labeled for Israel or noted as "via Israel."
Moreover, Israel does not acknowledge legal relations between Palestine and third countries, and it does not permit commercial transactions through the Rafah Border Crossing with Egypt.
As a result, trade between third countries and Palestine is mostly recorded as trade with Israel in national statistics.
Deadly offensive marks 6th month
Israel has been conducting a deadly military operation in the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack in early October by the Palestinian group Hamas, resulting in the deaths of nearly 1,200 people.
Since then, approximately 33,200 Palestinians have lost their lives, with almost 75,900 injured, amid widespread destruction and shortages of essential supplies. Israel has also enforced a severe blockade on the Gaza Strip, leading to a near-starvation situation, particularly affecting residents of northern Gaza.
The Israeli offensive has forced 85% of Gaza's population into internal displacement, exacerbating shortages of food, clean water, and medicine. Additionally, 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.
Source: Newsroom
