On the first day of 2024, thousands of Istanbulites gather on Galata Bridge to condemn Israeli massacres in Gaza Strip

Organized under the guidance of the Türkiye Youth Foundation (TÜGVA) and with the participation of 308 NGOs in the National Will Platform, tens of thousands of participants gathered for the event called 'Mercy for our Martyrs, Support for Palestine, Curse on Israel' on the Galata Bridge following the morning prayer and began a march with a procession. Since October 7th, genocide has been taking place in front of the world's eyes. Thousands of Gazans have lost their lives in Israel's heinous attacks. Türkiye has been the voice of the Palestinians from the very beginning. In the early hours of the new year, a message was sent from Türkiye to the world. In a historic march, both PKK terrorism and Israeli oppression were condemned. After the morning prayers at Hagia Sophia Mosque, Eminonu New Mosque, Sultanahmet Mosque, and Suleymaniye Mosque, the participants rallied in the mosque courtyards, offering prayers for the martyrs and Palestinians who lost their lives in Israeli attacks. The participants assembled in Hagia Sophia Square after the prayers and chanted slogans such as 'Martyrs never die, the homeland will not be divided,' 'Collaborator traitors will be held accountable, killer Israel will be held accountable,' 'Killer Israel, get out of Palestine,' 'Our blood, our lives sacrificed for Al-Aqsa.' The Youth and Sports Minister Osman Aşkın Bak, former Turkish parliament speaker Mustafa Sentop, and the president of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation for the Dissemination of Knowledge and a member of the High Advisory Board of TUGVA, Bilal Erdoğan, were among the participants. Prayers were also offered for the 12 Turkish soldiers killed in the Claw-Lock Operation zone in northern Iraq and for those killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza. After the prayers, the participants began marching towards the Galata Bridge, carrying signs in Turkish, Arabic, and English. On the platforms of the Galata Bridge, tags with 'ForFairFuture' (For a just future) were displayed, large screens were set up, and columns were placed for the sound system. At the press platform created at the Karaköy exit of the bridge, many local and foreign journalists followed the program. In the program where the Quran was recited, Abdurrahim Karakoç's composition 'Kardan Aydınlık' was performed. Participants also joined in by turning on the lights of their mobile phones.