Islamic civil society organisations in Diyarbakır have set off in a powerful convoy to Ankara to take part in Sunday’s historic ‘Humanitarian Corridor to Gaza’ march, a nationwide mobilisation demanding urgent action to end Israel’s ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people.

The march, organised by the Ankara Palestine Solidarity Platform (ANFIDAP), seeks to unite civil society groups, parliamentarians, faith leaders, and citizens from all seven regions of Türkiye. Their shared aim is to demand the immediate lifting of Israel’s suffocating blockade, the opening of a secure humanitarian corridor for life-saving aid, and an end to the systematic starvation and destruction of Gaza’s civilian population.

Unity and Resolve in Diyarbakır

The convoy’s departure was marked by a rally in front of the Diyarbakır City Stadium, where hundreds of activists, community leaders, and local residents gathered under a forest of Palestinian flags and banners reading “Break the Siege — Open the Corridor Now” and “Gaza is Humanity’s Test”.

The Diyarbakır Islamic NGOs Platform, a coalition of dozens of local faith-based organisations, issued a joint press statement denouncing the war crimes of the Israeli occupation regime and condemning the shameful silence of the international community.

“Gaza Has Become a Graveyard for Children”

Spokesperson Fatih Taş, speaking after reciting Surah An-Nisa, verse 75 — which calls believers to defend the oppressed — described the siege of Gaza as one of the darkest episodes in modern history: “For nearly two years, the Zionist occupation regime has trampled on every notion of human dignity in Gaza. Over 60,000 of our brothers and sisters have been martyred since October 7, 2023 — more than 70% of them women and children. Another 20,000 lie buried beneath the rubble of their own homes. Gaza has become a graveyard for children.”

Taş accused the occupation of wielding hunger as a deliberate weapon of war, turning aid distribution points into “killing zones” through targeted attacks. Over two million Palestinians now face catastrophic food insecurity, he said, with nearly 600,000 at risk of death from hunger-related illness, and over 70,000 children in urgent need of treatment for malnutrition.

Condemnation of Islamic Countries’ Inaction

Taş reserved some of his harshest words for world leaders — particularly those of Muslim-majority countries — who have failed to take decisive measures: “Shame on those who have the power but remain silent. Woe to those who watch genocide unfold without lifting a hand. The leaders of Islamic countries are not merely negligent — they are complicit. If they had acted in unity, Gaza would not be drowning in blood today.”

He warned that allowing an entire people to be exterminated through siege and famine was not just an attack on Palestinians, but “an assault on all of humanity’s conscience”.

From Anatolia to Gaza — A Nationwide Call for Justice

Travelling under the rallying cry “From Anatolia to Parliament, From Parliament to Gaza”, the Diyarbakır convoy will join thousands of demonstrators in Ankara on Sunday, August 10, assembling at Güvenpark at 6:30 p.m. before marching to the Turkish Grand National Assembly.

The march will feature representatives from every region of Türkiye, reflecting a truly national call for justice. Civil society groups, student organisations, trade unions, and religious scholars will join forces to pressure lawmakers to adopt a binding parliamentary resolution demanding an end to Israel’s siege and the recognition of Palestinian statehood.

“We Will Not Abandon Gaza”

Taş pledged that the people of Türkiye will continue to stand alongside Gaza’s resistance until liberation is achieved: “We will not abandon the Palestinian people. Until Gaza is free and its resistance victorious, we will remain in the streets. We will shoulder the cause of Jerusalem and defend it with our lives, our possessions, and every means we possess.”

A Nation Mobilising Against Genocide

The Diyarbakır convoy’s departure was met with strong support from local residents, who lined the streets to wave the Palestinian flag and bless the travellers. Organisers say this unprecedented wave of grassroots mobilisation is a direct response to the scale of atrocities in Gaza — where over 61,000 have been killed, more than 150,000 wounded, and entire neighbourhoods reduced to rubble since October 2023.

As the convoy heads westward, it carries not only humanitarian demands, but a clear political message: Türkiye’s people refuse to be silent partners in genocide. All eyes will now be on Ankara, where the convergence of thousands from across the nation could mark a turning point in Türkiye’s role in the struggle for Palestinian liberation. (ILKHA)