09Oct
In a show of solidarity with the Palestinian people, thousands of Turks recently took to the streets of Istanbul in a march titled "March for Fatah." While Turkey officially maintains a neutral stance on the conflict, the rally in Istanbul stopped short of condemning Hamas.
Sahin Ocal, a 54-year-old activist involved in organizing the march, passionately asserted, "The Palestinian people are only defending their homeland; this has nothing to do with terrorism." His sentiment was echoed by 39-year-old housewife Fatma Ipek, who held an "anti-Zionist" banner and said, "Inshallah, we believe that this will also be a victory day for Muslims."
This sentiment reverberated beyond Turkey's borders. In Yemen's capital, Sanaa, supporters of the Houthi movement waved Palestinian flags and celebrated the attacks on Israel, an event Hamas has dubbed "al-Aqsa Storm." In Beirut, Hezbollah supporters proudly displayed Palestinian flags, declaring October 7th a day of victory against Israel.
Iran, a vocal supporter of Hamas, reinforced its commitment to the Palestinian cause. An adviser to Iran's supreme leader declared, "We stand with the Palestinian leaders until Palestine and Jerusalem are liberated."
Hamas itself named its attack "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood" and called upon "resistance fighters in the West Bank" and across "Arab and Islamic nations" to join the struggle. According to the armed wing of Hamas, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, they fired more than 5,000 rockets, while Israel reported over 3,000 incoming rockets.
Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, expressed optimism, claiming that the group stood on the "verge of a great victory." He emphasized the importance of continuing the cycle of intifadas and revolutions to liberate their land and secure the release of Palestinian prisoners held in occupation prisons.
As the world watches these events unfold, global support for Palestinians remains a powerful force, transcending borders and ideologies in the pursuit of justice and peace.
Comments