More than half a million people took to the streets of Istanbul on New Year’s Day to show solidarity with Gaza, organizers and police said.
The rally, organized by the Humanity Alliance and the National Will Platform, a coalition of around 400 civil society organizations was held under the slogan “We will not retreat, we will not remain silent, we will not forget Palestine.” Police estimated the crowd at approximately 520,000 participants.
Bilal Erdogan, chair of the Board of Trustees of the Ilim Yayma Foundation, told reporters that demonstrators welcomed the New Year with prayers for Palestine. Participants initially gathered at Istanbul’s historic mosques, including the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque and Sultanahmet Mosque, before marching through the streets to converge on the Galata Bridge over the Golden Horn.
A large banner reading “Justice for Gaza” in Turkish and English was displayed on the bridge, alongside Turkish and Palestinian flags. Some demonstrators joined from boats on the Bosphorus, waving Palestinian flags and lighting flares.
The event also featured performances by internationally known artists and musicians.
Although a ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10 after two years of war, Israel has continued attacks in Gaza, where health authorities report more than 400 Palestinians have been killed.