By Janet Ekstract ISTANBUL- August 3 promises to be a defining day for Istanbul when tens of thousands of protesters gear up to rally in a call for solidarity on Gaza that slain Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh called fort hree days before his death. Turkiye’s Daily Sabah reports that three days prior to Haniyeh’s death, he called on all Arab, Muslim and world nations to take to the streets in a day of unity for Gazans and Palestine, dubbing August 3 “International Gaza Day.” Meanwhile, as thousands gathered in Doha, Qatar on August 2 for Haniyeh’s funeral, the Israeli government summoned the Turkish ambassador to Israel after the Turkish embassy in Tel Aviv flew its flag at half-mast in honor of Haniyeh. The Hamas leader was assassinated by Israel following a two-month plan that included planting a special bomb in his room at a guest house in Iran where only high-level leaders were staying to attend the swearing in of new Iranian President Mazoud Pezeshkian.
Pro-Palestinian protests will take place worldwide as Haniyeh’s “final will” to see the Arab world and international community unite on the issue of Palestinian rights, according to Daily Sabah. It’s expected that The Turkiye Youth Foundation (TUGVA) and National Willpower Platform already announced planned protests against Israel, in front of Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia Mosque as well as in Turkiye’s capital, Ankara. Thousands of protesters gathered late Wednesday in Istanbul’s Fatih district, condemning Haniyeh’s murder with demonstrators holding photos and banners reading: “Martyr Haniyeh, Jerusalem is our cause and your path is our path,” waving Turkish and Palestinian flags. Turkiye has seen mass, nationwide protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza for months since October 7. To compound the situation, an Israeli air strike killed two Al-Jazeera journalists – reporter Ismail al-Ghoul and photographer Rami al-Refee, on Wednesday. The two journalists became the 112th and 113th members of the press, primarily Palestinian – killed since the war between Israel and Hamas began, according to data compiled by the U.N. Earlier on Wednesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned Haniyeh’s assassination, commenting the killing would not break the will of the Palestinians.
Photo : AA
