Istanbul, 04 May 2024 (Anadolu)

Türkiye's only goal in suspending trade with Israel is to force Tel Aviv to declare a cease-fire to its deadly offensive in the Gaza Strip, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday.

"Our sole purpose is to force the (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu government, which has sprung out of control due to the West's unconditional support, to a cease-fire," Erdogan said as he addressed members of a national business group in Istanbul.

Erdogan, in his speech to Independent Industrialists and Businessmen's Association members, was referring to a decision announced by Türkiye's Trade Ministry on Thursday that Ankara had suspended all export and import operations with Israel due to its "aggression against Palestine in violation of international law and human rights."

Once again criticizing Western nations for supporting Netanyahu's government, Erdogan said he expected that these countries would "attack" Türkiye over its decision.

"We are well aware of how the West will attack us due to our trade restrictions against Israel," he said, asserting that Türkiye would "set an example" for other countries in the region. "When a cease-fire is reached and sufficient aid is allowed into Gaza, our goal will be fulfilled. Türkiye's move will set an example for other countries," he said.

Calling for calm in the region, Erdogan said: "We do not pursue hostility or conflict with any country in our region. We don't want to see clashes, blood, and tears in our geography."

Earlier in the day, Erdogan had said his government halted all of Türkiye's trade with Israel, which amounts to some $9.5 billion. Speaking to reporters after Friday prayers in Istanbul, the Turkish president said they "closed that door" on trade with Israel amid ongoing onslaught on the Gaza Strip.

"There was a trade volume of $9.5 billion between us," Erdogan said, referring to Türkiye and Israel. "Ignoring this trade volume, we closed the door."

Israel continues its onslaught on the Gaza Strip where at least 34,622 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and 77,867 injured since Oct. 7, according to Palestinian health authorities.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas, which Tel Aviv says killed nearly 1,200 people.

The Israeli war on Gaza has pushed 85% of the territory's population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

Hostilities have continued unabated, however, and aid deliveries remain woefully insufficient to address the humanitarian catastrophe.