02.01.2026 13:57
The President of TUGVA, İbrahim Beşinci, addressed 520,000 people gathered at the Galata Bridge to draw attention to the humanitarian drama in Gaza. Beşinci said, "O my mujahid friend in the lands of death; do not be sad. We promise you that we will bring civilization, humanity, freedom, and justice to this world condemned to the color of smoke. We will do this, we will succeed. We will not stop until we enter the ground. We will not be among the oppressors. We will never forget you."
With the call of the National Will Platform, citizens flocked to mosques after the first morning prayer of the new year to draw attention to the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza and to shout that they stand by the Palestinian people, gathering at the Galata Bridge. Tens of thousands marched for Palestine. İbrahim Beşinci, the President of the Turkey Youth Foundation (TÜGVA), addressed the 520,000 people gathered at the Galata Bridge.
İbrahim Beşinci stated the following in his speech:
"Dear mothers, fathers, young people, beautiful people of our country; I commemorate our honored martyrs who protect every square meter of this land at the cost of their lives on the first day of the year, in the first morning, in the first hours.
O noble nation; Look, today, there are hundreds of thousands here. There is an honorable nation standing tall against this genocide. There are the prayers of the oppressed, the legacy of our martyrs. Today, here; there is a strong stance against double-standard statements, delayed condemnations, indifference, and inhumanity.
"TODAY THE WALL OF SILENCE IS BEING BROKEN"
Today, here; the wall of silence is being broken… The chain of habit is being broken… A record of conscience is being inscribed in history… The Galata Bridge becomes a podium of conscience for those who join from different cities, different languages, and different lives… From this sacred podium; I salute the innocent and brave Palestinian people, the noble children of Gaza, the warrior hearts of the West Bank, the true owners of East Jerusalem, with all my being.
"THEY ARE MARTYRS, WE ARE WITNESSES"
I want to ask you? Is Ismail Haniyeh, who dedicates his entire family to Palestine saying, "Let our lives, our blood, our homes be sacrificed for Jerusalem," here? Is Yahya Sinvar, the brave man who became a martyr on the battlefield saying, "I fear dying in my bed like old camels," here? Is Abu Ubaida, the brave man who instills fear in the enemy saying, "By land, sea, or air," here? Not long ago, just 3 days ago… Are our martyr police officers İlker Pehlivan here, who sacrificed their lives and blood to protect this homeland? Is Turgut Külünk here? Is Yasin Koçyiğit here? Yes, yes, they are all here. They are martyrs, we are witnesses… Are you a witness, Galata? Are you a witness, Galata? Are you a witness, Galata?
"210,000 TONS OF BOMBS HAVE BEEN DROPPED ON GAZA FOR 27 MONTHS"
O puppet leaders of the West; since October 7, for a full 27 months, 210,000 tons of bombs have been dropped on the lands of Gaza. 70,000 civilians have lost their lives. The entire population of 2,600 families has been wiped out. Only 1 person remains from 5,000 families. 45,000 Palestinians have become amputees. 12,000 Palestinians have been arrested. In other words, a people has been erased from life, not from the map, before the eyes of the whole world…
O United Nations; were you not established as a guarantee of global peace after World War II? Would you not establish global justice? Wasn't everyone equal regardless of language, religion, or race? Shouldn't the right to live, freedom, and personal security be the right of every individual? Were all people not born free and equal in dignity and rights?
"SHAME ON YOU"
I call out to the whole world from here; have not all the articles put forth by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights been violated in the lands of Gaza? Did you not hear? Did you not see? Shame on you! I swear, shame on you! I truly say, shame on you! You burned and destroyed hospitals, schools, places of worship, shame on you! You turned water, electricity, and medicine into weapons, shame on you! You presented death, exile, and captivity as fate, shame on you! You stole life, hope, and the future, shame on you! In the 21st century, you subjected all humanity to this savagery, this barbarism, this banditry, shame on you! Shame on you, your global capital, your capitalist mentality! Shame on the branch of yours in the world, the killer Israel, and its dishonorable soldiers, shame on you, shame on you, shame on you!
"WE WILL NOT BE AMONG THE OPPRESSORS, WE WILL NEVER FORGET YOU"
O my mujahid friend in the lands of death; do not be sad! We did not get used to it, we did not tire, we did not give up… We have never been disconnected from you. We did not bow, we did not remain silent… We have never distanced ourselves from you. Let it be our promise to you! To this world condemned to the color of smoke; we will bring civilization, humanity, freedom, and justice. We will do this, we will succeed. We will not stop until we enter the ground. We will not be among the oppressors. We will never forget you. And do not doubt that one day will come, one day this nation will walk, a morning will come, light will come, come, come, come…
I would like to thank all our nearly 400 civil society organizations that contributed to this meaningful action, Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş, Trabzonspor, and all our sports clubs. Of course, I thank you, dear citizens, who filled this area to the brim.
Especially; I express my gratitude to the press members who carry not a headline, but a truth…"