Erdogan says Türkiye not intending to further develop ties with Israel

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Türkiye does not intend to "continue and develop" ties with Israel.

"The government of the Republic of Türkiye, headed by Erdogan, will not continue and develop its relations with Israel. We do not have such an intention," the state-run TRT news agency quoted Erdogan as saying.

Ankara has no trade ties with Israel at the moment and no desire to develop them, Erdogan told a group of journalists on his flight from Azerbaijan to Türkiye.

"We have cut trade and ties with Israel, period," he said.

The Turkish government suspended trade with Israel in May in response to Israeli attacks on Gaza.

Erdogan has repeatedly condemned Israeli attacks in Gaza and called for a stronger international response to protect Palestinian civilians.

Türkiye has long expressed support for Palestinians, with Erdogan frequently highlighting this as a cornerstone of his administration's foreign policy.