Thousands rally in Istanbul to support Palestine And honour killed Hamas leader

On August 3, thousands of people gathered in Istanbul's Hagia Sophia Square (formerly the Hagia Sophia Cathedral) for a major demonstration supporting Palestine and in memory of Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of the political bureau of the radical Palestinian group Hamas, who was killed on July 31 in Iran.

The police implemented heightened security measures in the area of the event, and there were no reports of incidents, Caliber.Az reports, citing Turkish media.

The demonstration, which also took place in several other countries, was organized by Turkish non-governmental organizations. A Haber reported that Haniyeh originally called for global demonstrations on August 3 in support of Gaza residents.

Participants in the Istanbul rally held signs with slogans such as "Freedom for Palestine," "US Killer, Out of Palestine," "Israel, Get Out of Gaza," and "Our Hearts with Hamas, Our Support for Resistance."

Bilal Erdogan, son of the Turkish President and one of the organizers of the rally, told CNN Türk that the crisis in Gaza, exacerbated by the West, threatens the region and the world. "Israel treacherously killed Haniyeh. Let this Saturday be a reason for us to continue his just cause, regardless of political views. Genocide is being committed in Gaza, and it must be stopped. Sooner or later, Israel will answer for the crimes against humanity it has committed," he said.