The International Palestine Convoy, which set out from Europe to raise awareness of the ongoing suffering in Palestine and mobilize international solidarity, was warmly welcomed in Şanlıurfa by civil society organizations, activists and citizens who gathered to express support for the Palestinian people and Gaza.

The convoy was received at the Karaköprü Fairground under the leadership of the Şanlıurfa Civil Society Organizations Platform, marking another major stop on its journey through Türkiye.

Following the welcoming ceremony, the convoy traveled through the city in a vehicle procession, passing along Diyarbakır Road, Abide Junction, Mardin Road, GAP Valley, Akçakale Street and Harran Gate before arriving at the historic Balıklıgöl area.

The program continued in the evening at Eyyübiye Millet Bahçesi, where hundreds of people gathered for a Palestine solidarity event featuring speeches, a charity bazaar, songs and poetry recitals.

The central message of the gathering was clear: “Do not remain silent in the face of oppression, do not forget Gaza, do not let it be forgotten.”

Speakers condemned Israel's ongoing attacks and the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, calling on people of conscience around the world to strengthen solidarity with Palestinians and oppose what they described as systematic oppression and genocide.

“People of conscience can stop oppression”

Hüseyin Durmaz, a member of the convoy's organizing board, said the suffering in Gaza could not be accepted by anyone with a conscience.

“Especially the things happening there are things that none of us, no person of conscience, can accept,” Durmaz said, stressing the importance of overcoming feelings of helplessness.

“If we stand together, if people of conscience come together, we can stop every kind of oppression and prevent the genocide,” he said. “Right here and now, we are demonstrating this will and this belief together.”

Speaking on behalf of Şanlıurfa civil society organizations, İbrahim Coşkun called on governments and international institutions to take concrete action to halt the bloodshed in Gaza.

“Let this oppression end, let the deaths end,” Coşkun said, condemning the continued killing of Palestinian civilians without distinction between women, children and elderly people.

“We will not say, ‘We can do nothing.’ We will all continue the struggle together,” he added.

An activist who joined the convoy from Italy expressed gratitude to the people of Türkiye for their support, describing the country as an example of solidarity with Palestine.

“We started this journey from Europe together with the people of Turkey,” the activist said. “Turkey is an example in terms of solidarity. I offer my thanks to the people of Turkey, who have such beautiful hearts.”

“This unity gives us the consciousness of being an ummah”

A Syrian-origin activist living in Germany said the convoy had strengthened a sense of Islamic solidarity and unity around the Palestinian cause.

“Alhamdulillah, I am a Muslim,” the activist said, emphasizing that faith and solidarity transcend national identities.

The convoy's movement, the activist added, was helping revive the consciousness of the ummah and could contribute to renewed efforts for the liberation of Palestine.

“God willing, this work of ours, this movement of ours, will lead to the liberation and mobilization of Palestine,” the activist said.

“Not silence but solidarity, not hatred but humanity”

Coşkun described the convoy as a peaceful humanitarian initiative centered on human dignity, civilian protection and respect for international law.

“Today we are not only here for a convoy, but as people of the City of Prophets, Şanlıurfa, we stand together against oppression, to uphold justice, and to defend what is right,” he said.

He criticized the obstruction of humanitarian assistance to Palestinians facing hunger, displacement and the consequences of war, arguing that such restrictions raise serious questions about the international community's commitment to humanitarian principles.

From Şanlıurfa, Coşkun called on the world to apply human rights and international law equally to all peoples.

He also called for the protection of Palestinian civilians, unrestricted humanitarian assistance and concrete international efforts toward a lasting and just peace.

“Not silence but solidarity, not hatred but humanity must prevail,” was among the key messages emphasized during the gathering.

Convoy aims to keep Palestine on global agenda

Durmaz said the convoy's primary objective was to prevent the Palestinian cause from disappearing from the international agenda and to draw renewed attention to the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and the deteriorating situation in the occupied West Bank.

He said the convoy's first objective was to reach the West Bank and help prevent it from suffering the same fate as Gaza.

“Our second goal is Gaza,” Durmaz said, warning that the situation in the besieged territory remains devastating despite the ceasefire and that international attention must not drift away from the suffering of Palestinian civilians.

He said the convoy also aims to bring together activists and civil society groups in different countries to develop new forms of peaceful activism in support of Palestine.

“We will not allow the West Bank to become a new Gaza”

Durmaz said the convoy had reached its 15th stop in Şanlıurfa after traveling more than 3,000 kilometers over 16 days, with difficult stages still ahead.

“This convoy is your convoy,” he told participants, describing it as a movement for people who refuse to remain silent while Palestinians continue to suffer.

Durmaz also referred to the Israeli government's characterization of the convoy as a security threat, arguing that the initiative is peaceful, civilian, unarmed and committed to non-violent action.

He said such pressure demonstrated the growing impact of international solidarity campaigns.

“They fear the world rising up; they fear isolation,” Durmaz said, adding that supporters would continue peaceful efforts to increase international pressure and isolate Israel politically and publicly over its treatment of Palestinians.

He stressed that participation in the convoy was not limited to those physically traveling with it.

“Not all of us have the chance to physically join this convoy, but every person of conscience, of heart, and of faith is a member of this convoy,” Durmaz said, urging supporters to share information, attend public gatherings and continue peaceful activism for Palestine.

The International Palestine Convoy is expected to continue its journey after Şanlıurfa, with organizers calling for broader public participation and international solidarity as the campaign seeks to keep Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories at the center of global attention. (ILKHA)