On August 9, Saturday, thousands of people gathered in Istanbul with the slogan "Be a Ray of Hope for Gaza" at the call of the Palestine Support Platform, and held a Gaza Istanbul march. In this meaningful support march for Palestine, which extended from Beyazıt Square to the Hagia Sophia Mosque, thousands of lanterns were lit for the people of Gaza and Palestine. Our Board Chair, Attorney Hatice Akıncı Yılmaz, stated during the Gaza Istanbul march, "No matter how deep the darkness is, even a single lantern can guide the way," delivering a message of determination for the freedom of Palestine.

The Gaza Istanbul March United Thousands of People

The ongoing bombardment, blockade, and hunger siege in Gaza have turned into a heavier humanitarian crisis with the threat of a ground operation. This situation transformed into a strong conscience movement with the Gaza march held in Istanbul. As TÜRGEV, we also walked with our lanterns along the route from Beyazıt Square to the Hagia Sophia Mosque to illuminate the darkness of Gaza during the Gaza Istanbul march. In this blessed march, we became one heart with TÜRGEV family, Güzel İşler Fabrikası Volunteer Camp, and all our companions under our roof.

Our President Hatice Akıncı Yılmaz’s Message on Gaza and Jerusalem

One of the strongest voices of the march was TÜRGEV, the Chair of the Board, Attorney Hatice Akıncı Yılmaz, during the Gaza march. While walking among the crowd, Yılmaz described every step she took as "a prayer reaching out to Gaza" and addressed the crowd with the following words:
"Tonight, with our lanterns, we challenge not only the darkness over Gaza but also the darkness that has fallen upon the ummah. We know that true strength lies neither in tanks nor in bombs... True strength is hidden in the hearts of a people who trust in Allah, who stand patiently against oppression, and whose resistance is infused with faith."

Yılmaz emphasized that the Gaza Istanbul march is a sign of determination for the freedom of Jerusalem and continued:
"Every step we take is to wipe the tears of Gaza’s children, to protect the dignity of the ummah, and to break the silence of humanity. We draw strength from our ancestors' love for Jerusalem and from the compassionate hand of our nation reaching out to the oppressed. Until Jerusalem is free, until the calls to prayer echo in Gaza under the shadow of peace..."

At the end of her speech, she called out in Arabic:
"Bi’r-Ruh Bi’d-Dem Nefdike Ya Aksa!"
"These words flutter in my chest like a wounded but unyielding bird. Because the memory of Gaza is hidden in the conscience of our youth, and no power can erase it."

Who Was Present at the Gaza Istanbul March?

Selçuk Bayraktar – Chairman of the Board of BAYKAR

Many volunteers and representatives of civil society organizations

The event concluded with a prayer by Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş at the Hagia Sophia Mosque.

TÜRGEV’s Unwavering Support for the People of Gaza and Palestine

Since the first day of the attacks on Gaza, TÜRGEV has been providing active support both on the ground and internationally.

The proceeds from the LOYALTY Exhibition were directly delivered to Palestine.

Pusula Yetenek Yönetimi Merkezi brought together Turkish and Palestinian youth in the fields of human rights and cultural diplomacy.

Support was provided for housing, scholarships, and education for Palestinian students.

The projects "5N1KUDÜS" and "Gaza Literacy" kept the awareness of Jerusalem and Gaza alive.