Thousands of people took to the streets in Van, eastern Türkiye, to mark the third anniversary of the Al-Aqsa Flood operation, reaffirming their solidarity with the Palestinian people and their support for the ongoing struggle against the Israeli occupation.

Organized under the leadership of the Van Palestine Support Platform, the march brought together demonstrators who condemned the ongoing suffering in Gaza and called for the liberation of Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem.

The gathering came as Palestinians continued to endure the devastating consequences of Israel’s military campaign and years of occupation, while supporters in Türkiye and elsewhere maintained calls for justice, freedom and solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Thousands of demonstrators assembled at İpekyolu City Park before marching toward City Square, where a public statement was scheduled to be delivered. Carrying Palestinian flags and placards, participants chanted takbirs and slogans in support of Palestine throughout the march.

Along the route, demonstrators protested companies they accused of supporting Israel and staged a symbolic reenactment highlighting the oppression experienced by Palestinians in Gaza.

The march proceeded along Maraş and Cumhuriyet avenues before concluding at City Square. The program continued with a recitation from the Quran and speeches by representatives of the Palestine solidarity movement.

Ahmet Faruk Çevik, the rotating spokesperson for the Van Palestine Support Platform, addressed the gathering, emphasizing the religious significance of standing with those struggling against oppression and defending Al-Aqsa Mosque.

In his speech, Çevik highlighted the spiritual status of those who sacrifice their lives in the struggle for Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa, citing religious traditions to underline the importance of steadfastness and commitment.

He said Muslims in Gaza, Palestine and other parts of the world continued to resist oppression and called for greater efforts to end the suffering of Palestinians.

Çevik also stressed the need to confront injustice and support the liberation of Jerusalem, framing solidarity with Palestine as a religious and moral responsibility for Muslims.

Dr. Zahir Elbek, chairman of the Palestine Diplomacy Center, thanked the demonstrators for standing with the Palestinian people, particularly the residents of Gaza.

“By gathering here, you wished to convey the message that Gaza is not alone,” Elbek said, expressing gratitude to the people of Van on behalf of Palestinians.

Referring to the launch of the Al-Aqsa Flood operation on October 7, 2023, Elbek said the operation had sought to draw attention to the plight of Al-Aqsa Mosque, awaken the Muslim world and challenge plans pursued by the United States and its allies in the Middle East.

He said the Palestinian fighters who launched the operation had struggled to reach Al-Aqsa Mosque but had been unable to do so, stressing that the wider Muslim world had not provided the support they had hoped for.

Nevertheless, Elbek described the continued struggle as a source of hope, arguing that the Palestinian cause had brought the issue of Al-Aqsa and Jerusalem to the forefront of international attention.

“The Al-Aqsa Flood operation began three years ago, but it has still not ended,” he said, adding that the struggle would continue until Al-Aqsa Mosque was liberated.

Elbek said the operation would reach its intended conclusion only when Muslims from Gaza, Van and across the world could gather and pray at a free Al-Aqsa Mosque.

“Only when Al-Aqsa Mosque becomes free and honorable, and we as Muslims come from Van, Gaza and all four corners of the world to pray there, can this flood end,” he said.

The gathering in Van underscored the continuing importance of Palestine solidarity in Türkiye, with demonstrators reiterating their support for the Palestinian people, their attachment to Al-Aqsa Mosque and their calls for an end to the occupation. (ILKHA)