Hundreds of Thousands Demonstrate in Turkey in Support of Palestinians
In several Turkish cities, vast crowds took to the streets on Sunday to show solidarity with Palestinians and to back an aid flotilla attempting to breach the Gaza naval blockade. The demonstrations are part of a broader wave of protests both in Turkey and across Europe, which mark the second anniversary of the October 7, 2023, attack that ignited the current conflict in Gaza.
In Istanbul, the largest protest saw demonstrators move from the historic Hagia Sophia to the banks of the Golden Horn. There, dozens of boats decorated with Turkish and Palestinian flags awaited, symbolizing the unity between the two peoples. After midday prayers held in front of the mosque that was once Hagia Sophia, protesters chanted calls for solidarity with those suffering in Gaza.
In Ankara, demonstrators carried banners and waved flags while denouncing what they described as a “genocide” in Gaza. Similar expressions of support were seen in Izmir, where local residents rallied behind the aid flotilla—recently intercepted by Israeli forces—and on Lake Van, where boats, canoes, and even divers set out, proudly displaying Palestinian emblems as thousands cheered from the lakeside.
A protester in the northern city of Kirikkale echoed the sentiments of many, stating, “This oppression, which began in 1948, has been continuing for two years, turning into genocide.” Support for the Palestinian cause runs deep in Turkey, a predominantly Muslim nation where President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has emerged as a leading critic of Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
The ongoing demonstrations come as the international community grapples with the extensive casualties reported in Gaza, where the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry has claimed that more than 67,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in the recent surge of violence.
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