Türkiye interrupts trade with Israel due to “worsening humanitarian tragedy”

MEXICO CITY (France24).- The Turkish Government announced this Thursday that it will no longer allow exports or imports with Israel until the entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza is guaranteed.

On the other hand, with the plan on the table, Hamas is weighing its position, which it promised to communicate in the first days of next week and will send a delegation to Egypt “soon” to continue ceasefire talks. While the resolution, which Israel insists would only be provisional, is delayed, its Army continues attacks against the Palestinian enclave, where the death toll now amounts to at least 34,596 people.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that a ground incursion into Rafah, in southern Gaza, as planned, would block the normalization of relations with Saudi Arabia. .

A possible end to hostilities in the Middle East is in the air, with the expectation of what Hamas’s decision will be regarding the latest ceasefire proposal it received after rounds of negotiations in Egypt.

An official from the Islamist group assured EFE that the movement will respond to Israel’s truce offer “at the beginning of next week.”

Additionally, this Thursday, May 2, the group announced that it is ready to send a delegation to Cairo “as soon as possible” to deepen talks on a ceasefire in the war in Gaza.

The media ‘Al-Qahera News’, linked to the Government of Egypt, quoted a senior Egyptian official who stated that the Hamas mission will arrive in Cairo in the next two days, something confirmed to Reuters by a Palestinian leader.

For his part, Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh discussed the possible cessation of hostilities in Gaza in separate phone calls with Egypt’s intelligence chief Abbas Kamel and Qatar’s prime minister and foreign minister. , Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

Through a statement, Hamas detailed the “positive spirit in studying the proposal” that existed in the call between Haniyeh and Kamel, after receiving the latest position raised by Israel, which continues to be studied by the Islamist movement.

In its statement, Hamas highlighted that the negotiations in the Egyptian capital will seek to “mature an agreement that meets the demands” of the Gazan people “and puts an end to the aggression.”

Truce talks have been stalled in recent months as the group that controls Gaza insists on a deal that would lead to an end to the ongoing war, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stresses that only is open to a provisional ceasefire, to continue with its stated objective of “eliminating” Hamas.

Expectations about a possible truce are growing after Antony Blinken, Secretary of State of the United States, returned to the Middle East to continue promoting an agreement between the parties.

Although the details are not confirmed, Israel promises a 40-day cessation of attacks and the release of 900 Palestinians, in exchange for the delivery of 33 hostages into the hands of Hamas. The Netanyahu Government also assures that it will allow the entry of humanitarian aid.

Israeli bombings in Gaza

The Israeli Army carried out new artillery and air attacks in northern and southern regions of the enclave. Some of the worst damage was near the Nuseirat refugee camp, where nine people died in areas north of the camp.

A bombing to the south, in the Qaa al Qurain area, left an unknown number of people injured in a city devastated by intense Israeli attacks.

The Wafa news agency noted that “the areas of Bani Suhaila, Abasan and Khuzaa, east of the city, also suffered intense bombing by fighter jets.”

In return, the Army claimed that it attacked armed combatants next to key infrastructure, such as tunnels. Meanwhile, he also assured that on Wednesday his soldiers were attacked in the center of Gaza.

The Gaza Ministry of Health reported that the death toll has already exceeded 34,500, 72% of them women and children. Furthermore, United Nations estimates highlighted that rebuilding Gaza will take, at least, 16 years.

Israel appoints new intelligence chief

After Aharon Haliva resigned on April 22, after being classified as responsible for the military security failure in the Hamas attack on October 7, Israel appointed his successor.

The Army announced that General Shlomi Binder will be the new head of the Military Intelligence Directorate.

This appointment occurs after a meeting was held between the Minister of Defense, Yoav Gallat, and the Chief of the General Staff, Herzl Halevi, among other movements that occurred in the ranks of the Army.

“All those promoted stood out in combat and in headquarters,” highlighted a press release that states that the modifications had Gallant’s approval.

However, this aroused discomfort in Itamar Ben Gvir, Minister of National Security, who disapproved of these announcements and stated that Gallant has no “mandate” to approve the new appointments because he considers it part of the “failure of October 7.”

Humanitarian aid shipment attacked by settlers and diverted by Hamas

An aid shipment from Jordan could not be delivered because it was attacked by Israeli settlers and subsequently diverted by Palestinian militants. Faced with this situation, the United States urged both sides to guarantee access for humanitarian aid.

The transfer began at the headquarters of the Hashemite Charitable Organization in Amman, where the Secretary of State of the North American country was on Tuesday.

The shipment, which was to enter through the open Erez crossing, was attacked by Israelis, according to Jordanian authorities. For this fact, three people were arrested by Israel, according to what US diplomacy said.

Meanwhile, once it was delivered for distribution, Hamas fighters intercepted it.

Türkiye breaks trade ties with Israel

This Thursday, due to the “worsening humanitarian tragedy” in the Gaza Strip, the Turkish Ministry of Commerce announced that the country will stop all exports and imports to Israel.

The Turkish Trade Ministry reaffirmed that this covers “all products” and that these new measures will be “strictly and decisively implemented until the Israeli government allows an uninterrupted and sufficient flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.”

Both States, which reached 6.3 billion dollars in exchanges during 2013, have accumulated difficulties in recent months. For example, Ankara imposed trade restrictions on Israel due to Tel Aviv’s refusal for the Turkish Government to deliver humanitarian aid by air.

This same Thursday, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz criticized Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for blocking ports for imports and exports. The official called him a “dictator” and said that he is “ignoring the interests of the people, Turkish businessmen and international trade agreements.”