Türkiye - April 13, 2025 Israel’s ongoing attacks on the Gaza Strip were protested in Turkey. Tens of thousands of people gathered in Beyazıt Square in Istanbul upon the call of the Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) and marched to the Hagia Sophia Mosque in Sultanahmet Square. Protesters chanted slogans in support of Gaza throughout the march and condemned Israel’s attacks. Branches of brands supporting Israel, such as Starbucks, Burger King and McDonald’s, located on the march route, were also protested. Protesters reacted to these brands with slogans such as “This is the nest of murderers” and “Murderer Israel, collaborator Starbucks”. The takbir (Allahu aqbar) was chanted frequently throughout the demonstration. The march ended after speeches in Sultanahmet. The citizens participating in the march could not fit into the square. SPEECHS: 00:38:00 - 01:05:12 Ersin Tarhan: I think something is coming to an end. I think the reason Israel is getting more aggressive is the military base Turkey is planning to open in Syria. It is also being said behind the scenes that somehow Turkey, the United Nations or the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation will enter Gaza. I hope they act quickly on this path and no more people die. 01:28:20 - 02:07:20 İshak Eryiğit: We have been following the events with bleeding hearts for days. But we don’t want this to become something we get used to. Unfortunately, we are getting used to it… The deaths of babies, human bodies flying through the air, and so on. We don’t want to become desensitised to these horrors. That’s why we are here today — to make our voices heard, to urge our leaders to take a stronger stand against Israel by seeing us out on the streets. We left our comfort behind, cancelled our plans, and came to Beyazıt Square. After performing the noon prayer there, we marched with slogans, exercising our rights, and came here with our children. 02:38:17 - 03:33:28 Serkan Meşe: Not only America, but also those who support this (Israel) financially or verbally; there is also a silent group. Those who do not speak out are also partners in this. I hope Allah will make them experience a process where they can be aware, and I hope He will instil that awareness and thought in them. In other words, this situation is not only about America but about the whole world in terms of support. There are also those who do not speak out. This means a concession to them (Israel) and does not make it stop. In other words, in addition to those who ensure that the genocide continues, there are also those who do not prevent it from stopping. 04:13:02 - 04:38:13 Elif Arca: We are a country with a Muslim majority. Even though it is not in the constitution, most of us are Muslims. Jihad is obligatory on every Muslim, first for men, then for women. Unfortunately, we are not doing this right now. I wish we could. We are boycotting; we are protesting. Because that is all we can do. I wish our state could make more noise.