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A group of activists traveling under the name "Palestine Convoy" crossed into Türkiye through the Ipsala Border Gate on Wednesday, after setting out from the Bosnian city of Srebrenica and passing through Albania and Greece along the way.
The convoy departed on July 25 after activists from various European countries gathered in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Made up of buses and cars, the "Palestine Convoy," carrying around 60 people, was welcomed upon arrival in Türkiye by a group holding Turkish and Palestinian flags.
Huseyin Durmaz, a physician-activist and spokesperson for the convoy who previously took part in the Global Sumud Flotilla, a fleet of civilian ships that has attempted to break Israel's naval blockade of Gaza, told reporters that starting the convoy from Srebrenica carried symbolic meaning.
Durmaz explained that they had commemorated and prayed for those who lost their lives in the genocide that took place in Srebrenica 31 years ago.
"We believe that all forms of injustice are connected, and that our silence played a part in the fact that we could not intervene or reach out that day, allowing that suffering to happen. That is why we took action today, so as not to remain silent in the face of what is happening in Gaza, the West Bank and Palestine," he said.
Durmaz said the convoy had received significant public support in Balkan countries, with activists from many countries taking part.
Noting that one of the convoy's goals was to draw attention to developments in the West Bank, Durmaz said: "We do not want the West Bank to become a new Gaza. It is our duty to stop this from happening."
He added that international pressure needed to be increased against Israel's policies in the region, saying the convoy was not simply about delivering humanitarian aid. "We are moving to stop this genocide and to build a shared will against it," he said. "We will continue our journey until it stops."
Ismail Tiryaki, an activist taking part in the convoy, said they would continue their struggle until the situation in Gaza comes to an end, adding: "We haven't stopped for three years, and if necessary, we won't stop for three more."
Fulya Unsal, who joined the convoy from Germany, said they wanted to be a voice for Palestinians and show they had not been left alone. Taha Atar said he joined the convoy to make even a small contribution against what is happening in Palestine.
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The convoy later set off from Ipsala toward Istanbul. A rally and public gathering is planned to take place in the evening at Basaksehir Millet Garden. The convoy's route through Türkiye includes Istanbul, Sakarya, Ankara, Konya, Adana, Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Diyarbakir and Mardin.
Participants aim to cross into Iraq through the border gate and then travel through Jordan to reach the city of Ramallah in the West Bank.
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