Turkish port authorities have begun informally requiring shipping agents to provide letters declaring that vessels are not linked to Israel and not carrying military or hazardous cargo bound for the country, according to two shipping sources.
NATO member Turkey has fiercely criticised Israel over its attacks on Gaza and called it a genocide against the Palestinians, a charge Israel denies © Mena Today
Turkish port authorities have begun informally requiring shipping agents to provide letters declaring that vessels are not linked to Israel and not carrying military or hazardous cargo bound for the country, according to two shipping sources.
The move is another step Turkey has taken against Israel after it last year severed trade with the country, worth $7 billion annually, over its war in Gaza with Palestinian militant group Hamas.
The sources said the harbour master's office had verbally instructed port agents to provide written assurances, adding that there was no official circular on the issue.
One of the sources said the instruction applied to ports across Turkey.
The second source said vessels arriving directly from Israel or departing to Israeli ports would no longer be permitted to dock at Turkish ports, according to information provided by the port authority of the northwestern province of Kocaeli.
Turkish-flagged ships will also be prohibited from calling at Israeli ports, according to the source.
The transport ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The move could further complicate shipments to Israel in the Eastern Mediterranean. Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis have targetted ships in the Red Sea since 2023 in what they call an act of solidarity with Palestinians.
NATO member Turkey has fiercely criticised Israel over its attacks on Gaza and called it a genocide against the Palestinians, a charge Israel denies.
The new guarantee letters should state that vessel owners, managers, and operators have no ties to Israel, and that certain types of cargo, including explosives and radioactive materials or military equipment, are not on board en route to Israel, the second source said.
Reporting by Can Sezer and Ezgi Erkoyun
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that Israel will begin immediate negotiations for the release of all hostages held in Gaza and an end to the nearly two-year-old war on terms acceptable to Israel.
The Israeli prime minister's office said on Thursday that Israeli citizen Saleh Abu-Hussein, who was detained in Lebanon for about a year, returned to Israel following negotiations with the help of the Red Cross.
Israel’s military announced the first steps of an operation to take over Gaza City on Wednesday and called up tens of thousands of reservists while the government considered a new ceasefire proposal to pause nearly two years of war.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.