22.12.2025 14:05
On January 1, 2026, a promotional meeting for a rally in support of Gaza, to be held at the Galata Bridge, was attended by representatives from four major clubs. While Fenerbahçe President Sadettin Saran was not present at the meeting, the club was represented by board member Ertan Torunoğulları.
The Milli Will Platform held a press conference at the TÜGVA General Center before the support rally for Gaza, which will be held on January 1, 2026, at the Galata Bridge. Many civil society organizations, as well as presidents and executives of leading Turkish football clubs, attended the meeting.
SADETTİN SARAN DID NOT ATTEND
Galatasaray President Dursun Özbek, Beşiktaş President Serdar Adalı, and Trabzonspor President Ertuğrul Doğan attended the meeting where Bilal Erdoğan spoke. However, Fenerbahçe President Sadettin Saran did not attend the meeting. Instead, Fenerbahçe Board Member Ertan Torunoğulları's presence in the hall drew attention. The club presidents took turns speaking at the meeting.
BILAL ERDOĞAN: WE WILL MEET AT GALATA BRIDGE ON JANUARY 1
TÜGVA High Advisory Board Member Bilal Erdoğan emphasized that the events in Gaza are a humanitarian issue, not a political one. Erdoğan stated, "We are talking about a genocide where over 70,000 innocent people, including at least 20,000 children, have been killed, and we still do not know the exact number. Many international organizations and various independent courts have already stated that this is genocide. Even Israel's own human rights organizations have unequivocally stated that what is happening here is genocide. Therefore, this issue is not a political matter; it is a matter that concerns the conscience of humanity, transcending politics. For this reason, we need a humanitarian alliance more than ever. To prevent the resurgence of Israeli Nazism behind this genocide, we are currently in a ceasefire period, but this ceasefire is not a real ceasefire. Just as there is no real ceasefire in Gaza, attacks on civilians in the West Bank have increased more than ever. All international organizations are confirming this on-site. Therefore, to prevent the resurgence of this Israeli Nazism and to establish real peace in this region, we believe that holding the perpetrators accountable and making Israel pay war reparations is the only way. Thus, we think it is important that the reconstruction of Gaza is carried out by the Israeli Nazism, which is responsible for this atrocity. We also believe that the international community should act quickly regarding the implementation of a two-state solution in this region. We highly value our President's sincere efforts and strong leadership on this issue, and we truly wish that all Islamic countries could have stood around this leadership and stance until today. I would also like to thank all the civil society organizations and media outlets that participated. I say we will meet at Galata Bridge on the morning of January 1 to give a strong voice to the world once again."