Istanbul will host a large pro‑Palestinian rally on the morning of Jan. 1, with organizers saying the event aims to send a “message to the world” about Gaza.
The demonstration, held under the slogan “We Do Not Stay Silent, We Do Not Bow, We Do Not Forget Palestine,” will take place on the Galata Bridge for the third time. Participants are expected to gather after morning prayers to show support for Palestinians.
The Milli İrade Platformu announced the event during a briefing at the Turkey Youth Foundation (TÜGVA) headquarters. Necmettin Bilal Erdoğan, a member of TÜGVA’s High Advisory Board, said the Jan. 1 march — titled “Mercy for Our Martyrs, Support for Palestine” — would highlight the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Erdoğan described the situation in Gaza as “genocide” and urged the international community and the Muslim world to take a stronger stance. He said civilian deaths had surpassed 70,000 and claimed at least 20,000 children had been killed.
“This is not a political issue but a matter of conscience,” he said, adding that even Israeli human rights groups had characterized the events as genocide. “We need a human alliance more than ever.”
