UPDATE – Turkey, Israel sign reconciliation deal

*ADDS that Israel also signed reconciliation agreement in simultaneous event

By Nazli Yuzbasioglu

ANKARA (AA) – Turkey and Israel separately signed a reconciliation deal on Tuesday, aiming to normalize relations after a six-year hiatus, Turkish diplomatic sources have said.

The agreement was signed by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu in the capital Ankara at 11 a.m. [GMT 0900], in a meeting which was closed to the media.

Sinirlioglu's Israeli counterpart Director-General Dore Gold also signed the agreement at a similar event in Jerusalem, the Israeli foreign ministry said in a statement.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim has indicated that Turkey and Israel would re-appoint an ambassador to each other’s countries after the deal was approved.

According to Israel Radio, Israel's security cabinet would vote to approve the deal on Wednesday but the far-right ministers Naftali Bennet and Ayelet Shaked, from the Jewish Home party, said they would reject the deal.

If approved by the security cabinet, it will be presented to Israel's parliament, the Knesset, for approval. Turkey and Israel reached the initial reconciliation agreement late Sunday to normalize relations more than six years after Israeli troops stormed a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in international waters.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries were suspended after the incident, where Israeli commandos stormed the Mavi Marmara -- a Turkish ship -- in international waters.

The attack on the six civilian vessels, which had been trying to break Israel's blockade of Gaza, resulted in the death of nine Turkish citizens and left another 30 people injured, one of whom later died.

In the aftermath of the attack, Turkey demanded a formal apology from Israel, compensation for the families of those killed and the lifting of Israel’s Gaza blockade.

In 2013, Netanyahu voiced his regret for the attack.

On Monday, months of talks between the two countries finally bore fruit, with Turkey announcing that a deal would be signed the following day, normalizing relations with Israel.

According to the deal, Israel will pay a total of $20 million in compensation to the families of the Mavi Marmara victims.

Also, 10,000 tons of supplies will sail to Gaza from Turkey on Friday, Yildirim announced on Monday.

*Anadolu Agency correspondents Tutku Senen in Ankara and Kaamil Ahmed in Jerusalem contributed to this report.