On the morning of January 1st, Istanbul will once again raise its voice for Gaza. A march will be held under the slogan "We Do Not Stay Silent, We Do Not Bow Down, We Do Not Forget Palestine." Humanity's conscience will rise again in Istanbul. On the first morning of the new year, hundreds of thousands will gather for Gaza. Galata Bridge will host the large gathering for Gaza for the third time. On January 1st, after the morning prayer, people will gather to support Palestine.
A promotional meeting for the Gaza support rally organized by the National Will Platform was held at the headquarters of the Turkish Youth Foundation (TÜGVA) on January 1, 2026, at Galata Bridge.
In his speech, TÜGVA High Advisory Board Member Necmettin Bilal Erdoğan made important remarks ahead of the "Martyrs' Blessings, Support for Palestine" march at Galata Bridge on January 1st. Erdoğan called the situation in Gaza "Israeli Nazism" and "genocide," urging the international community and the Muslim world to take a stronger stance. He highlighted that the death toll in Gaza had surpassed 70,000, with at least 20,000 children killed, and stressed the importance of holding Israel accountable for its actions.
Erdoğan emphasized that this issue is not political but concerns the conscience of humanity and called for the international community to act swiftly toward a two-state solution. He also underlined Türkiye's critical role in this process and the sincere efforts of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The call for a gathering at Galata Bridge was made to all citizens, inviting them to stand together and send a strong message to the world.
TÜGVA President İbrahim Beşinci, Galatasaray Sports Club President Dursun Özbek, Fenerbahçe Executive Board Member Ertan Torunoğulları, Beşiktaş Gymnastics Club President Serdal Adalı, and Trabzonspor President Ertuğrul Doğan all emphasized their support for the cause and pledged to continue raising their voices against the suffering in Gaza. They urged everyone to join the rally on January 1st to show solidarity with the Palestinian people.
