An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 1, 2026 shows people gathering on the Galata Bridge to show solidarity with Palestine in Istanbul, Türkiye. (Xinhua/Liu Lei)
ISTANBUL, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- More than half a million people rallied in Türkiye's largest city Istanbul on New Year's Day to show solidarity with Gaza.
The demonstration was organized by the Humanity Alliance and the National Will Platform, a coalition of civil society groups, under the slogan "We will not retreat, we will not remain silent, we will not forget Palestine." Around 400 civil society organizations took part in the rally. According to police, the number of participants was estimated at about 520,000.
Bilal Erdogan, chair of the Board of Trustees of the Ilim Yayma Foundation, an educational and cultural foundation, told reporters that demonstrators welcomed the New Year with prayers for Palestine.
Participants initially gathered at several of the city's most historic mosques, including the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque and the Sultanahmet Mosque, before marching through the streets and converging on the Galata Bridge spanning the Golden Horn.
A giant banner reading "Justice for Gaza" in both Turkish and English was displayed at the center of the bridge, alongside Turkish and Palestinian flags.
An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 1, 2026 shows people gathering on the Galata Bridge to show solidarity with Palestine in Istanbul, Türkiye. (Xinhua/Liu Lei)
Some demonstrators also joined the rally from the sea, arriving by boats on the Bosphorus, where they lit flares and waved Palestinian flags.
The event also featured performances by internationally known artists and musicians.
Despite a ceasefire taking effect on Oct. 10 after two years of war, Israel has continued attacks in Gaza, where health authorities say more than 400 Palestinians have been killed.■
