Thousands of people gathered on Monday in mosques in Türkiye’s top metropolis Istanbul for Gaza as it suffers under Israeli bombardment and to condemn terrorism weeks after PKK attacks martyred a dozen Turkish soldiers in northern Iraq.
The event titled "Mercy for our martyrs, support for Palestine, curse on Israel” in mosques during the morning prayers was organized by the Turkish Youth Foundation (TÜGVA) and the National Willpower Platform.
With the participation of 308 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), attendees gathered in the courtyards of Hagia Sophia Mosque, Eminonu New Mosque, Sultanahmet Mosque and Suleymaniye Mosque after morning prayers. The participants rallied in the mosque courtyards, offering prayers for the martyrs and Palestinians who lost their lives in Israeli attacks.
The participants assembled in Hagia Sophia Square after the prayers and chanted slogans such as "Martyrs never die, the homeland will not be divided," "Collaborator traitors will be held accountable, killer Israel will be held accountable," "Killer Israel, get out of Palestine," "Our blood, our lives sacrificed for Al-Aqsa," and "Greetings to Hamas, resistance will continue."
Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak, former Turkish Parliament Speaker Mustafa Şentop, and the president of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation for the Dissemination of Knowledge and a member of the High Advisory Board of TÜGVA, Bilal Erdoğan, were among the participants.
Prayers were also offered for the 12 Turkish soldiers killed in the Claw-Lock Operation zone in northern Iraq and for those killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza.
After the prayers, the participants began marching toward the Galata Bridge, carrying signs in Turkish, Arabic and English.
Pro-Palestine rallies have been a staple of big Turkish cities since Israel began pounding on the blockaded Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, killing over 20,000 people, in retribution for a Hamas incursion on southern Israel. Starting as early as the same day in front of the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul, Turkish citizens have joined millions around the world in almost weekly protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government over the past two months.
Türkiye has been a staunch defender of the Palestinian cause and continues diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict. President Erdoğan too has called for an independent Palestinian state and spearheads efforts for a lasting truce.
