The Türkiye delegation of the Palestine Flotilla initiative has finalized preparations for a major land convoy set to depart from France on July 26, aiming to show international solidarity with the Palestinian people and spotlight the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The announcement was made at an introductory event held at the Çemberlitaş Youth Center in Istanbul, attended by activists, human rights advocates, and supporters of the Palestinian cause.

Hüseyin Durmaz, coordinator of the Türkiye delegation, said the convoy continues global efforts to support Palestinians and keep the spotlight on conditions in Gaza.

“The world is witnessing unprecedented human suffering in Gaza,” Durmaz told the gathering. He emphasized that the civilian hardships have mobilized people of conscience worldwide, fueling a growing wave of solidarity movements and grassroots campaigns.

Durmaz criticized ongoing restrictions on Gaza and called for sustained public engagement, particularly through digital platforms, to keep the Palestinian issue prominent on the international agenda.

Davut Taşkıran, the delegation’s coordinator for relations with civil society organizations, detailed the convoy’s planned route. Participants will assemble in France before heading to Bosnia and Herzegovina for solidarity events with local groups. The convoy will then enter Türkiye, with Istanbul as its second major stop.

In Türkiye, organizers plan public events and outreach activities across nine provinces: Bursa, Ankara, Konya, Adana, Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa, Diyarbakır, Mardin, and Şırnak. The itinerary is designed to broaden participation, strengthen international solidarity networks, and raise awareness of the situation in Gaza.

From Türkiye, the convoy intends to proceed through Iraq and Jordan before attempting to reach Palestinian territories. Organizers noted that this overland route represents a novel approach for such initiatives.

As part of the preparations, the delegation will hold training sessions in Istanbul on civil society work, non-governmental activism, and humanitarian advocacy. The programs will bring together participants from Türkiye and several European countries.

The event included a live video message from Tasneem Alwan, a Palestinian child from Gaza, who described shortages of food, clean water, and basic necessities. She thanked Türkiye and international supporters for their solidarity.Activists from ten European countries are expected to join the journey, which is projected to take approximately 20 days to reach its destination.

The land convoy forms part of a wider series of international initiatives aimed at highlighting conditions in Gaza and expressing support for the Palestinian people amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis. (ILKHA)