Dozens marched on Thursday evening in Istanbul city to mark the 8th anniversary of the Israeli raid on the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara while it was carrying humanitarian aid on its way to Gaza.
The marchers condemned the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Palestinian people chanted slogans in support of Jerusalem and the Palestinian resistance and raised Palestinian flags and portraits of those killed in Marmara massacre.
Addressing the crowd head of the Istanbul-based Humanitarian Relief Foundation (İHH) Bulent Yildirim hailed the Palestinian people in Gaza saying that Gaza is the guard of Jerusalem and that the struggle against the occupation will continue until Jerusalem is liberated.
Calling Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli soldiers “murderers” Yildirim stressed “Marmara martyrs are forever alive in our hearts.”
For her part Palestinian researcher Amal Khalifa told Anadolu Agency “I came here to join the Turkish people in commemorating the 8th anniversary of the Israeli attack on Mavi Marmara.”
Khalifa praised the Turkish youths’ role in raising awareness about the situation of Jerusalem and al-Aqsa Mosque.
On 31st May 2010 the Israeli navy killed 10 Turkish activists and injured 56 others on Mavi Marmara ship which was part of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla which was sailing toward Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid.
Mavi Marmara set off from Larnaca Port in Cyprus after months of preparations carrying 750 activists from 37 countries most of whom are from Turkey in addition to humanitarian aid to those besieged in the Gaza Strip.
