Thousands of Istanbulites attend Great Palestine rally in Hagia Sophia Square

In his last speech before being martyred in a cowardly assassination by Zionist traitors, Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh called on all Arab, Islamic, and world nations to take to the streets on Saturday, August 3rd, to support the people of Gaza and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. In response to Haniyeh's recent call to support the Palestinian people, tens of thousands of people gathered in Hagia Sophia Square in Istanbul for a rally in support of Palestine. Non-Governmental Organizations and volunteers, led by the Palestine Solidarity Platform, gathered in Hagia Sophia Square to support Palestine. Citizens carried Turkish and Palestinian flags, as well as banners with the Shahada (Islamic declaration of faith) and keffiyehs, and chanted slogans for the freedom of Palestine. The participants reacted to Israel with slogans such as 'Freedom for Palestine from river to sea,' 'Murderer USA, get out of Palestine,' 'Murderer Israel, get out of Palestine,' 'Our blood and soul are sacrificed for Al-Aqsa,' and 'Greetings to Hamas, continue the resistance.' In the signs written in Turkish, Arabic, and English, the phrases 'Genocide in Gaza,' 'Israel stop the genocide,' and 'End the massacre, let the children live' were featured. Volunteers from the Free Jerusalem Platform and the Lovers of the Prophet Foundation organized a march from Beyazıt Square to Hagia Sophia Square. During the march, posters of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas' Political Bureau who was targeted in an assassination, were displayed. Due to the march, tram services were halted in the Sultanahmet area, and security measures were taken in front of some foreign chain restaurants. The crowd protested by whistling in front of these restaurants. The group participating in the march met up with another group at Hagia Sophia Square.