Sakarya University students staged a march on Friday to mark the third anniversary of the Al-Aqsa Flood operation, reaffirming their support for the Palestinian people and their struggle against the Israeli occupation.

The students marched from the university’s Campus Mosque to the Central Library following Friday prayers, where they held a programme highlighting the Palestinian cause and expressing solidarity with Gaza amid the devastation caused by Israel’s ongoing assault.

Furkan Altunkaynak, head of the Söz ve Kalem Student Community, delivered the opening speech on behalf of the university’s student communities, saying the struggle in Gaza represented hope for oppressed peoples worldwide.

“We believe that the torch lit in Gaza will bring freedom to all oppressed and downtrodden peoples, starting with Gaza,” Altunkaynak said.

Drawing on Islamic history, he recalled Caliph Umar’s longing for devoted figures such as Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah, who played a prominent role in the early Muslim conquest of Jerusalem. He said the spirit of sacrifice and devotion associated with those figures had been revived in the Palestinian struggle.

“We believe that the Palestinian flags will continue to wave freely in those lands, and we will all witness it,” he added.

Palestinian veteran Islam Asalya also addressed the gathering, discussing the significance of the anniversary, the widespread destruction in Gaza and the hardships endured by Palestinians.

Asalya said the killing of Palestinian leaders would not end the struggle, arguing that new generations would continue to defend their people's rights and aspirations.

“Even if you kill our leaders, greater leaders will come after them,” he said. “You will never be able to bring down this flag; this flag will be passed from martyr to martyr until prayer is performed in the courtyards of Masjid al-Aqsa.”

He said Palestinians would rebuild homes destroyed in Gaza and restore mosques damaged by Israeli bombardment, stressing that the destruction would not extinguish their faith or determination.

“You have destroyed all our homes in Gaza, but with Allah’s permission we will rebuild these homes over and over again,” Asalya said. He added that Gaza would remain a place of worship and religious devotion despite the devastation.

Asalya also condemned the killing of Palestinian children and said a new generation would emerge determined to secure freedom and dignity for the Palestinian people.

“We will not bow to anyone but Allah, and we will not prostrate to anyone but Him,” he said, describing Gaza as a symbol of the wider Muslim community’s struggle and invoking historic battles that hold significance in Islamic history.

“Palestine is ours. Together we will perform prayer in Masjid al-Aqsa,” he added.

The gathering ended with a prayer led by Faruk Turan Aldemir, head of the Akademik Gençlik Student Community.

The march and subsequent programme reflected continued expressions of solidarity with Palestinians among university students in Türkiye, particularly as Gaza remains central to public demonstrations and discussions surrounding the Palestinian cause. (ILKHA)