Gaza, the gateway to Al-Quds, calls for support: Al Mayadeen expert
3 Min Read
Hundreds gather in Istanbul’s Oskudar district to support Gaza and the Global Solidarity Flotilla, marking 700 days of Israeli aggression and blockade. Calls for Turkish action echo through the rainy streets.
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Hani al-Dali gives a speech in support of Gaza in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, September 6, 2025 (Screengrab)
The streets of Istanbul's Oskudar district saw a massive demonstration on Saturday night in support of the Gaza Strip and the Gaza solidarity flotilla, despite cold weather and heavy rainfall, as the genocide, forced starvation, and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in the besieged enclave hit its 700th day.
Protesters chanted in support of Gaza and the Resistance, reaffirming their unwavering solidarity.
The demonstration coincided with the departure of the Global Solidarity Flotilla, a maritime mission aiming to break the 15-year Israeli naval blockade of Gaza.
Thousands take part in massive pro-Palestine rally held in Istanbul, Turkey, including several healthcare workers, demanding an end to the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/HTu3UYaaHg
— Tehran Times (@TehranTimes79) September 6, 2025
'Gaza speaks from under the rubble'
Hani al-Dali, an expert on Palestinian resistance affairs at Al Mayadeen, delivered a speech on behalf of the families of Gaza’s martyrs. He emphasized that Gaza, “from under the rubble, amid the smell of blood and gunpowder, from the ruins of homes and delivery rooms that have become graveyards, and from the moans of the wounded, the cries of orphans, and the tears of mothers,” calls on the world, and especially the Turkish people, to stand in solidarity.
Al-Dali underscored that Gaza is not demanding the impossible, but rather loyalty, a principled stance, and the courage to preserve the nation's dignity.
For 700 consecutive days, he noted, the world has been witnessing “a continuous human holocaust and the most horrific genocide in modern history,” carried out by the occupation government in violation of international law and humanitarian norms.
Calls for Turkish solidarity, global action
Addressing the crowd, al-Dali directly appealed to the Turkish public: “Didn't you see your sons being killed in Mavi Marmara? Did their blood die in vain? Did their souls go to waste? Where are you now? Gaza asks: Where is Turkey? Where are the sons of Mavi Marmara? Where are the heirs of Fatih?”
He stressed that Gaza is the gateway to Al-Quds and the key to the nation, invoking both historical memory and present-day responsibility.
Bülent Yıldırım, head of the Turkish Relief and Humanitarian Aid Agency, also spoke at the rally, stating that Gaza has succeeded in uniting the peoples of the world against injustice. He praised Italy's promise to protect the flotilla and called on the international community to follow suit.
Yıldırım also hailed the Gaza solidarity flotilla as a maritime uprising that has rattled the occupation, commending its symbolic power. “The waves created by the flotilla of steadfastness will hit the Zionist gang like a tsunami,” he said, highlighting how the spirit of resistance radiating from Gaza is beginning to influence public opinion across Europe.
Greta Thunberg, Mariana Mortega among international activists
Hundreds of activists from 44 countries have joined the Global Solidarity Flotilla, which is now en route to Gaza. Among them are Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and Portuguese politician Mariana Mortega. The fleet, composed of dozens of boats carrying humanitarian aid, is the largest attempt to break "Israel's" naval blockade to date.
The voyage serves as both a humanitarian mission and a global protest against the ongoing siege on Gaza. Supporters view it as a critical effort to draw attention to the crisis and push for international accountability.
