Thousands rally in Istanbul to support Palestinians
İSTANBUL
Demonstrators hold a banner and Palestinian and Turkish flags as they attend a rally in solidarity with the Palestinian people, at the Galata Bridge in Istanbul on Jan. 1, 2025
Hundreds of thousands gathered at Istanbul’s Galata Bridge on New Year’s Day to express solidarity with Palestine.
Participants marched from mosques across the historic peninsula and beyond after early morning prayers, carrying Turkish and Palestinian flags. The event was organized by the National Will Platform, a coalition of 308 nongovernmental organizations.
The demonstrators prayed for an end to the Israeli massacre in Palestine before assembling on the bridge, which spans the iconic Golden Horn, to demand international action against the ongoing atrocities.
In the middle of the bridge, where extensive security measures were taken, a huge banner was present reading: "Stop Genocide in Gaza" in Turkish and English, along with Turkish and Palestinian flags.
Boats also supported the protest from the sea.
In addition, "ForFairFuture" stickers were placed on a platform set up for the press, and giant screens and a sound system were also set up in the area.
Several Turkish and foreign NGO members and human rights activists also gave speeches during the event.
Protesters chanted slogans such as “Murderer Israel will be held accountable” and “Martyrs do not die.”
The Israeli army has waged a genocidal war on Gaza, killing over 45,500 people, mostly women and children, since a Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, despite a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire.
In November 2024, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its war on the enclave.
On the first day of 2024, tens of thousands gathered at another massive rally in Istanbul to show solidarity with Palestinians.
The event was titled "Mercy for our martyrs, support to Palestine, curse on Israel” and organized by the National Will Platform and the Turkish Youth Foundation (TÜGVA). It saw the participation of 250,000 people, including representatives from 308 NGOs.
The gathering took place in the courtyard of the Hagia Sophia Mosque in Istanbul following a morning prayer at Istanbul’s iconic mosques on Jan. 1.
The participants began marching towards the Galata Bridge, carrying signs in Turkish, Arabic and English and chanting slogans such as “Martyrs never die, the homeland will not be divided” and “Killer Israel, get out of Palestine.”
One of the participants, Süleyman Kayıkçı, who stated that he came from France to join the march, stated, "Unfortunately, the evil and brutality committed by Israel continue. Hopefully, the beginning of the new year will also mark the beginning of peace. Hopefully, the war will end."
