Protesters rally on Galata Bridge, calling for end to violence in Palestine
Tens of thousands gathered at Istanbul's Galata Bridge on New Year's Day to express solidarity with Palestine.
Participants marched from mosques across the historic peninsula and beyond after early morning prayers, carrying Turkish and Palestinian flags. The event was organized by the National Will Platform, a coalition of 308 NGOs.
The demonstrators prayed for an end to the Israeli massacre in Palestine before assembling on the bridge, which spans the iconic Golden Horn, to demand international action against the ongoing atrocities.
Protesters chanted slogans such as “Murderer Israel will be held accountable” and “Martyrs do not die.”
The Israeli army has waged a genocidal war on Gaza, killing over 45,500 people, mostly women and children, since a Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.
In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
