Turkey announced this week that it would no longer work with Israel on energy projects until the situation in the Gaza Strip has been resolved.

Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz made the announcement to reporters before attending the “Mediterranean Energy Perspectives – Turkey Report” conference in Ankara on Tuesday.

“For energy projects to proceed, the human tragedy in Gaza will have to be stopped and Israel will have to instate a permanent peace there with all elements,” Yildiz said.

Talks between Israel and Turkey had been focusing on building a 10 billion cubic meter undersea pipeline between the two nations, giving Israel access to what is believed to become one of Europe’s biggest power markets by 2023. The expected cost is $2.2 billion.

“It is out of question to proceed on any energy project unless a permanent peace is established, with contribution from all side and with necessary conditions. A human tragedy unfolded in Gaza, it is all too easily forgotten,” he added.

Over the last several years, Israel has turned from largely being an energy consumer to an energy exporter. Upon the discovery of two extensively large gas fields in the Mediterranean, Tamar and Leviathan, Israel has been looking for regional partners to purchase the much sought after resource.

Last week, Israel and Jordan signed a $15 billion deal that would supply the Hashemite Kingdom with natural gas from the Leviathan energy field over the next 15 years.

Despite improvements in Israeli-Turkish relations in the spring, ties between the two nations chilled considerably over the summer as Israel battled Hamas in a 50-day military campaign.

Always considered one of Israel’s closest regional allies, relations between Israel and Turkey were severely damaged following a May 2010 interception by IDF commandos of a Turkish boat carrying pro-Palestinian activists on their way to Gaza.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was prime minister during the time Operation Protective Edge occurred, accused Israel of “genocide in Gaza” and “barbarism that surpasses Hitler.”