Turkey announced the severing of trade relations with Israel. The country governed by Recep Tayyip Erdogan alleged the "worsening humanitarian tragedy" as the main cause of this diplomatic measure, although the Israeli response was swift.

The Turkish government announced the news through a statement from the Ministry of Commerce, in which they cited their diplomatic reasons.

"Export and import transactions related to Israel have been stopped, covering all products," Turkey's trade ministry said in a statement. "Turkey will strictly and decisively implement these new measures until the Israeli government allows an uninterrupted and sufficient flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Israel's response: "This is how a dictator behaves"

The government led by Benjamin Netanyahu responded in the words of Israel Kantz, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

"This is how a dictator behaves, disregarding the interests of the Turkish people and businessmen, and ignoring international trade agreements," the official published on his official X account, formerly known as Twitter.

In turn, Katz noted that he instructed his team to begin planning alternatives for trade with Turkey, which in 2023 meant $6.8 billion.

Erdogan previously met with Hamas leader

The Turkish president's hostility toward Israel is not new. The most recent example occurred a few weeks ago when he received the leader of the terrorist group, Ismail Haniyeh.

The meeting, which lasted approximately two and a half hours, took place in the Dolmabahce Palace, a historic building that functioned as the main administrative center of the Ottoman Empire between 1853 and 1922.

Erdogan assured at that time that his country "will continue to explain (Israel's) massacres in Gaza in all forums" while at the same time continuing with "efforts to establish the independent State of Palestine, key to bringing permanent peace to the region." Finally, the Turkish president noted that "One day Israel will pay the price for the oppression it inflicts on Palestinians."