Israel and Turkey have reached a preliminary agreement to restore diplomatic relations, an official in Jerusalem said on Friday.
The countries were allies until 2010, when Israeli naval forces intercepted a Turkish flotilla trying to break the Gaza blockade. Nine Turkish activists were killed in clashes when the ship, the Mavi Mamara, was boarded.
The Israeli official, speaking anonymously, said the deal will see Israel compensate the families of the activists killed. In return, Turkey will drop its claims against Israel.
Additionally, the two counties will return ambassadors to the other’s capital cities and begin discussions about building a pipeline to take natural gas from Israel to Turkey.
The meeting between senior Israeli and Turkish officials took place in Switzerland. However, there has been no official confirmation of the deal from either side.
