Turkish Airlines is considering resuming flights between İstanbul and Tel Aviv in June on a limited scale, with full operations expected to return in October 2025, the English version of Israeli business daily Globes reported on Thursday, citing airline industry sources.
The potential return follows a suspension of flights that began in October 2023, when Turkish carriers halted operations due to Israel’s military strikes on Gaza following the Hamas attack on Israel.
According to Globes, the decision to restart flights was influenced not only by economic factors but also by political considerations since the airline is 49 percent owned by Turkey’s sovereign wealth fund.
Before the suspension, Turkish Airlines was among the leading foreign carriers at Ben Gurion Airport, ranking fourth in market share in 2019 and maintaining a strong presence in 2023. The Tel Aviv-İstanbul route was one of the airline’s most profitable, primarily serving transit passengers connecting through İstanbul to destinations in Europe, North America and Asia.
The report noted that Turkish low-cost carrier Pegasus Airlines is also considering a return to Israel, with both airlines expected to make a final decision by May, when airport landing slots will be reassigned. Industry sources cited in Globes said Turkish Airlines and Pegasus are concerned that delaying their return could allow competitors, such as flyDubai, to claim key time slots at Ben Gurion Airport.
The absence of Turkish Airlines has been noticeable in Israel, where it previously operated more than 10 daily flights to İstanbul, with peak periods reaching up to 16 flights per day. In July and August 2023 over 5 percent of passengers at Ben Gurion flew with the airline.
The report comes amid signs of a thaw in Turkish-Israeli economic relations, as Ankara has hinted at ending trade restrictions imposed on Israel in response to its military campaign in Gaza.
In May 2024 Turkey halted all direct trade with Israel in response to mounting domestic criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
However, the Turkish government has faced protests and accusations for allegedly continuing trade with Israel while adopting a harsh anti-Israeli rhetoric, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan repeatedly accusing Israel of “genocidal behavior” and comparing the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu administration’s actions to those seen in Nazi Germany.
A report by the Stop Fueling Genocide campaign revealed that 10 crude oil shipments were made from Turkey to Israel in 2024, violating Ankara’s announced embargo. The shipments, tracked via satellite imagery and shipping data, reportedly included Azeri crude oil transported through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, a key source of Israel’s crude imports.
Activists argue that crude oil refined in Israel contributes to fueling its military equipment.
There were instances when activists protesting Turkey’s alleged continuation of trade with Israel were subjected to police aggression, detained or arrested.
In addition, while official data showed a near cessation of direct exports to Israel, trade with Palestine has surged to unprecedented levels, raising questions about whether goods are being rerouted to Israel.
Critics accused Erdoğan of “hypocrisy” in his anti-Israel rhetoric.
Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza following a Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 that resulted in the death of 1,206 people and the taking of some 250 hostages.
Israel’s war on Gaza has killed a confirmed 48,219 people and wounded 111,665, according to the health ministry in the Palestinian enclave. Gaza’s Government Media Office has updated the death toll to at least 61,709 people, saying thousands who were missing under the rubble are now presumed dead.
A report released by Amnesty International on December 5 concludes that Israel’s actions in Gaza qualify as genocide.