The International Palestine Convoy, which set out from Europe to stand against the ongoing Israeli occupation, siege, and atrocities in Gaza and the West Bank, was warmly welcomed with a large rally in Adana.

Participants from more than 20 countries across Europe gathered in Bosnia and Herzegovina, deliberately launching their journey from Srebrenica—the site of the 1995 genocide—on 25 July 2026. This symbolic starting point links the memory of past mass atrocities with the present-day suffering of Palestinians under Israeli aggression. The convoy followed a route through Albania and Greece before entering Türkiye via the İpsala Border Gate on 30 July. Continuing its Turkish leg with growing numbers that have surpassed 500 activists traveling in buses and private vehicles, the convoy received an enthusiastic reception in Adana from citizens and civil society organizations.

The program held in front of the Central Mosque featured Qur’anic recitation, prayers, and speeches conveying unwavering messages of solidarity with the Palestinian people, who continue to face displacement, blockade, and violence.

“Our destination is the West Bank, Jerusalem, and Al-Aqsa Mosque”

Speaking at the event, Gazi Kılıçparlar, Chairman of the Ülfet Education and Humanitarian Aid Association, stressed that the Palestinian cause transcends any single city or temporary stop. “Our subject is very clear: we will voice the oppression, tyranny, and injustices applied against Palestine. Our destination is the West Bank, Jerusalem, and Al-Aqsa Mosque. This journey is not one that will end in Adana, Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa, or Diyarbakır. By upholding the law of brotherhood, we will continue to voice Palestine’s just cause on every platform,” he declared, rejecting any attempt to normalize or forget the occupation.

“We will not leave Gaza alone”

Adana Provincial Mufti Mehmet Taşçı highlighted the profound meaning of this conscience-driven journey that began in Bosnia and Herzegovina. “I feel great happiness to be among these honorable people who set out from Bosnia and say to our brothers and sisters in Gaza, ‘We are here; we will not leave you alone.’ We will continue to stand by our brothers and sisters in Gaza,” he said, affirming that the Palestinian people will never be abandoned amid the humanitarian catastrophe imposed upon them.

“This journey is the journey of the ummah’s unity”

Adana Provincial Preacher İdris Polat described the convoy as far more than a physical expedition. “This is not an easy journey. It is a long and arduous expedition. This journey is a unity journey that brings the ummah back together and gathers the scattered ones,” he stated, underscoring how the convoy strengthens collective Muslim and human consciousness against injustice.

“We are conducting a non-violent but determined struggle”

Davut Daşkıran, a member of the Board of Directors of the Palestine Land Convoy, emphasized the vital role of peaceful civilian solidarity. “We set out with our faith, our conscience, and our responsibility as human beings. We advocate non-violent civilian resistance. We will use a universal language of conscience, not the radical rhetoric that Israel wants. In Islam there is not a results-oriented but a responsibility-oriented understanding. Our duty is to raise our voice against oppression and not to leave our brothers and sisters alone,” he affirmed.

Daşkıran also stressed the power of social media in building public awareness and called on citizens to amplify the convoy’s message: “Do not leave this struggle alone. Every share you make will contribute to strengthening this conscience movement.”

Organizers have outlined three core aims: preventing the West Bank from being turned into another Gaza through forced displacement and escalation; ensuring Gaza is not erased from the international agenda despite ceasefire periods that have failed to end the suffering or fully lift the blockade; and applying sustained peaceful pressure for accountability and an end to the occupation. The convoy operates independently of political parties, relying on ordinary people of conscience traveling by land through Türkiye, Iraq, and Jordan toward the occupied Palestinian territories, with planned arrival near the border in mid-to-late August.

The program concluded with prayers, takbirs, and slogans as participants delivered strong messages of support for the Palestinian people. The International Palestine Convoy continues determinedly along its route, carrying the hope of millions that Palestine will not remain alone and that justice for the people of Gaza, the West Bank, Jerusalem, and Al-Aqsa will ultimately prevail. (ILKHA)