Turkey and Israel reached a reconciliation agreement late yesterday to normalise relations more than six years after Israeli troops stormed a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in international waters, a senior Turkish official confirmed today.
According to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media, official from Ankara and Tel Aviv agreed on the final conditions for reconciliation in Rome, Italy.
The official said that Israel accepted a number of requests by the Turkish side, including to pay compensation to the families of those killed in the 2010 Mavi Marmara aid flotilla raid.
The agreement:
- Israel will pay compensation to the families of those killed on the aid flotilla which was heading to Gaza in 2010.
- Turkey will be able to send aid to the Gaza Strip.
- Turkey will be able to implement infrastructure projects in Gaza including building a hospital.
Under the deal, Turkey will be able to send humanitarian aid to Gaza as well as implement infrastructure projects including residential buildings and a 200-bed Turkish-Palestine Friendship Hospital in the area, the senior official said.
“However, contrary to claims, the deal has no provision regarding Hamas,” the official added.
Ties between Ankara and Tel Aviv have been frayed since 2010 when six civilian ships in a humanitarian aid flotilla were attacked in international waters by Israeli forces.
The vessels were trying to break Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Nine Turkish citizens were killed and 30 others were injured; one person died nearly four years later after being critically injured in the attack.
Turkey demanded an official apology from Israel, compensation for the families of those killed in the attack, as well as the removal of Israel’s blockade on Gaza in the aftermath of the attack.
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim is due to make a statement regarding the progress of negotiations with Israel today, sources at told the Anadolu Agency.