Gaza’s Hamas rulers thank Turkey after its deal with Israel

IDF troops faced an “organized and violent” assault from a group of passengers after boarding the ship, according to a United Nations report and video footage, and ten crew members were killed in the ensuing fight.

The rapprochement has potential wide-reaching security and economic ramifications in the region. They also plan to begin talks over gas exports from Israel to Turkey.

The diplomatic thaw also could open new channels for outside assistance to Gaza.

Days after taking office last month, new Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey needed to “increase its friends and decrease its enemies”, in what appeared a tacit admission that his predecessor’s policies had left the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation member isolated.

It was formally signed on Tuesday by Turkey’s Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu in Ankara and Israel’s Foreign Ministry Director General Dore Gold in Jerusalem, officials said. “Israel and Turkey are the two regional powers”. It calls for increased Turkish investment and aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip, where access is tightly controlled by Israel.

Under the deal, Turkey will deliver humanitarian aid and other non-military products to Gaza and carry out infrastructure projects, such as residential buildings and a hospital, the official said.

While Israel will set up a $20 million fund to compensate the families of the dead and wounded from the Mavi Marmara incident, Turkey agreed not to prosecute Israelis over the 2010 raid.

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Gaza’s Hamas rulers have thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his support following a reconciliation pact with Israel that Ankara says will help alleviate hardships in the isolated coastal strip.

Netanyahu said that while Israel will enable ships to dock at Ashdod and transfer humanitarian and civilian aid to Gaza, the naval blockade of Gaza will not be lifted.

“The Gaza security blockade will remain in place… so as to prevent Hamas [which has governed the strip since 2007] from bolstering its military capacities”, he said.

“This isn’t a cease-fire agreement”, Yildirim said.

Netanyahu said that with both the world and the region going through enormous changes, it is important to create islands of stability and this accord does that with Turkey.

“It has also vast implications for the Israeli economy, and I use that word advisedly”, Netanyahu told reporters. Despite the crisis, trade continued and exceeded $5 billion in 2014, according to the Washington-based Brookings Institution. “It’s in the interest of Turkey and Israel and maybe Hamas”. “You are accepting Israel’s control over Gaza”.

Moreover, reconciliation with Turkey means that Israel can once again enjoy normal relations with a major Muslim-populated country, normal relations that also include tourism and civil society cooperation, the expert said.