‘Freedom convoy’ to US military base in Turkey calls for Gaza ceasefire | Israel-Palestine conflict News

Istanbul, Turkey — A “freedom convoy for Palestine” is on its approach from Istanbul to a United States navy base in southern Turkey in solidarity with the individuals of Gaza as Israel wages struggle on the besieged enclave.

Automobiles and vans displaying Palestinian and a few Turkish flags departed from Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium on Friday morning and headed to the town of Adana, the place the Incirlik Air Base is positioned.

The Humanitarian Reduction Basis (IHH), the Turkish non-profit that organised the occasion, mentioned a whole lot of automobiles have been driving in the direction of Turkey’s capital, Ankara, on Friday afternoon with many extra protesters anticipated to hitch because the convoy stops in cities alongside the way in which, overlaying almost 1,000km (620 miles).

Convoys departing from three different Turkish cities – Kahramanmaras, Kayseri and Van – have been additionally anticipated on Sunday to succeed in Adana, the place the demonstrators plan to encircle the Incirlik Air Base to protest towards US help for Israel and to name for a ceasefire in Gaza.

The US and Turkish air forces are the first customers of the airbase, which has been used to fly fight missions over Iraq through the first Gulf Conflict and launch air strikes on Afghanistan. The bottom has additionally been utilized by the US-led coalition combating ISIL (ISIS).

A white bus with a banner that learn “Freedom convoy for Palestine” stood out amongst dozens of automobiles that set off from Istanbul, joined by native pro-Palestine teams and a few worldwide activists.

Protesters, together with households with kids, gathered in a big car parking zone the place they held placards with slogans resembling “We’re all Palestinian” and “You may’t be silent.”

“Individuals have been very enthusiastic to go to the American airbase,” Mary Annette Wright, a 77-year-old retired US military colonel and former US diplomat who was on the demonstration, advised Al Jazeera.

Turkey has taken a agency place important of Israel’s actions. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called off a trip to Israel in late October over what he described as an “inhumane” struggle on Gaza. Addressing a big pro-Palestinian rally final week, Erdogan additionally known as Israel an “occupier”.

Wright, who resigned from her publish over the struggle in Iraq in 2003, is a part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, a solidarity motion that has launched a number of campaigns to lift consciousness and problem Israel’s blockade of Gaza, which has now lasted greater than 16 years and has been tightened right into a “complete siege” because the struggle started on October 7, that means Israel has stopped deliveries of meals, gas, water and medical provides.

“[There are] individuals from Canada, Norway, Sweden, the UK, Spain, Italy, Malaysia, South Africa [in the convoy headed to Adana],” Wright mentioned.

‘We’re heartbroken’

The NGO behind the convoy is among the fundamental organisers of the 2010 “Gaza freedom flotilla”, an try by six civilian ships, together with the flagship Mavi Marmara, to interrupt Israel’s blockade and produce assist into Gaza.

Ten activists died in an Israeli raid on the Mavi Marmara, which carried largely Turks, inflicting a rift in Turkey-Israel relations that the 2 sides had solely not too long ago began to fix.

“In 2018, I used to be accountable for a ship from Norway to Palestine,” said Norwegian sociologist Gerd von der Lippe, who joined the convoy, referring to a different flotilla that headed to Gaza that 12 months.

“At the moment, I stayed in an Israeli jail alongside 22 different individuals. I’m comfortable and proud to be part of the work carried out for Gaza.”

“Anybody who has some humanity ought to be a part of this convoy,” Mustafa Ozbek, a spokesperson for the IHH, advised Al Jazeera because the convoy made its approach to Ankara.

“We’re driving down the freeway proper now, and we anticipate to be joined by extra individuals in Ankara,” he added. “Individuals from totally different international locations have joined as properly.”

Individuals in Turkey have been protesting in massive numbers towards the struggle in Gaza because it started.

The struggle has up to now killed greater than 9,000 Palestinians as Israel conducts a steady air bombardment on the enclave and pushes ahead with a floor assault within the northern a part of Gaza. More children have died in Gaza because the struggle started than in all conflicts all over the world in every of the previous 4 years, in accordance with the charity Save the Kids. Greater than 1,400 individuals in Israel have misplaced their lives, largely in October 7 assaults by Hamas on southern Israel, which started the struggle.

“We’re heartbroken due to what is occurring in Gaza,” protester Yusuf Gungor mentioned. “Our brothers and sisters have to know that they don’t seem to be alone.”